The Dichotomy of Equality

Equality is another one of those labels that people seem to argue about for hours. Is there really such a thing, and if so, what does it mean? But once we dig through the layers of debate, at the heart of the issue is why does it matter?

We could argue that on a large social scale, equality is the basis of being an American. We must have our ideology toward equal access to justice, the pursuit of happiness, and fairness in our dealings with people regardless of race, religion, gender etc., because those traits are integral to American identity. But to debate on such global terms opens an unwieldy can of worms spilling out layer upon layer of other labels that may or may not be relevant to actually achieving genuine long term equality.

To illustrate, I am currently taking a university course in intercultural communications. The course contrasts the experiences of groups of hyphenated Americans (Japanese-Americans, Black-Americans, Gay/Lesbian-Americans, Native-Americans, etc.) with the generalized grouping of White, heterosexual, mostly male, often Christian Americans. The latter group is portrayed as dominant, having committed heinous crimes against these other, less powerful groups thus perpetuating inequalities. Heart wrenching narratives present the plight of cultures stripped of their native language, their land, the ability to practice their spiritual beliefs, or marry whomever they wish.  Members of the dominant group are warned against stereotyping these marginalized groups based on blanket generalizations, and yet, the dominant group itself has been stereotyped. Granted, the dominant group did create Japanese internment camps, force Native Americans onto reservations, refuse to allow Blacks and Whites to intermarry, and later- Gays and Lesbians. And it is reasonable to expect acknowledgment, a period of restitution, and requests for forgiveness.  But as long as the dominant group continues to be stereotyped, true reconciliation is not possible. Without reconciliation, true equality cannot be attained.

So why does a discussion of equality matter? It matters because we all need to move past viewing equality as a dichotomy, focusing on the differences generated by perceived power and marginalization. Instead, it is time to move past the past, and seek out points of contact where we can begin to build bridges of understanding, mutual respect, and genuine equality.