Call me CRAZY But I DO NOT VALUE "EQUALITY" or "EQUITY"

... And here's why.

Friends,

I want to dive into a topic that's been on my mind for a while: equity. It's a term we hear a lot, especially in discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). But what if I told you that I don't quite buy into the whole idea of equity? In the video above, I share my thoughts on why I don’t value “equality” or “equity” and what I believe we should focus on instead.

I recently came across an article that perfectly articulates my sentiments on this topic. You can check it out here. The author really nails it, expressing the same frustrations and concerns I've had about the push for equity.

Let me give you some context. Back when I worked at UC Irvine, I experienced the DEI hogwash firsthand. I remember sitting in a staff meeting where they suggested to the teachers that we include our pronouns on our syllabi. I mean, seriously? It seemed absurd to me. If we must focus on labels i’d rather talk about something actually meaningful, like adjectives?!

Just imagine, if after your names, instead of (she/hers) or (ze/zeir) or whatever weird words they are coming up with, you would instead list: optimistic, determined, creative, compassionate…

Adjectives would be far more descriptive than the silly pronouns! 🤣

Anyhow, back to the topic at hand: this DEI nonsense was YEARS ago! And I (along with a couple other teachers) saw the writing on the wall so we packed up our materials and left the meeting.

Then there's this whole concept of equity, where I was often exposed to that commonly used graphic (pictured above) at the University. The image is supposed to denote “equity” — that people can get different resources, different amounts of help so that we are all equal at the end of the day. Why should we prioritize ensuring everyone is the same height to see over the fence? And on a deeper level, how is it fair to give someone an advantage simply because of their identity, rather than their individual merit? It's flawed from the get-go.

Also, where exactly do those crates come from? The government? did the tall guy have to give up his crate to the shorter guy? Is that actually equitable??

And by the way, where is the diversity in this example? All I see are brown males. Nothing wrong with brown males, but if we’re supposed to be focused on diversity as well, where are the females of other colors?

And hey: why is this example celebrating CHEATING by watching a game without paying to go to the stadium? 🤣 Gee whiz, this example image just keeps getting worse and worse!

What if we focus on removing the barrier altogether? By doing so, everyone can see, regardless of their height.

Is it possible for individuals to be truly equal? Let's consider this, shall we? After all, our uniqueness as individuals inherently leads to differences.

Rather than emphasizing equality, I prioritize quality. I value the quality of one's actions, thoughts, aspirations, and conduct. What troubles me about DEI initiatives is their tendency to erode individuality. It's perfectly fine for us to embrace our differences; uniformity would only lead to a monotonous, communistic and unexciting existence.

It's neither logical nor realistic to expect everyone to possess identical opportunities, resources, and abilities. This is why I don’t like destructive DEI policies; they often serve to exclude, divide, and harm.

I've been a teacher at the university level for many years. I've led programs, designed curriculum, and my primary focus revolved around teaching teachers how to teach. My classes have consistently included a substantial number of English as a Second Language (ESL) students.

The truth is, some students may naturally speak English without an accent and some are only able to speak English with an accent, regardless of how much tutoring or practice they receive. However, should speaking with an American accent be the ultimate goal? I don’t value everyone sounding the same, I value the quality of communication. Should we make those who speak English without an accent start sounding the same as those with an accent? You know, for equity.

Equity falls short in a world designed with the individual in mind.

The bad guys want you to believe in these unrealistic concepts to sow division. Yet, many individuals navigate life with disadvantages and successfully overcome them. In fact, these setbacks can often serve as opportunities for growth.

It's not merely about redistributing resources to metaphorically give others more boxes; it's about leveraging our unique, God-given gifts and talents to contribute and innovate — to stop complaining and just start creating. Everyone was designed with individual abilities, and it's our job to honor these God given gifts by utilizing them to their fullest potential.

And I want to end by sharing this email from a Healthy American who received an invite to a wokeplace presentation on inclusivity:

And this was her response: