equality isn’t optional

Every human life on this planet has value and everyone deserves to be treated equally.

Yet there are many people in the world that do not accept this statement.

Disregard the societal claims we make for ourselves and others; the ‘importance’ of your job, what family you were born into, the country you were born in by pure chance, your monetary wealth, your possessions, disregard all that. It’s not as important as we think it is.

For a moment, let’s consider the base level; you and I are human. We’re both the same. In fact we’re all the same, just flesh and bone. We’re born in a womb, we live on earth for a while and then we die, every single one of us. Every single human throughout history - same deal.

During life we all develop hopes, dreams and aspirations, we all experience the basic need to be loved and to love. We’re mammals with the ability of self awareness and the understanding that we are mortal beings. I think we can all agree on that.

So why, throughout human history have we developed these illogical approaches that determine the worth of one person over another, one gender over another, one colour skin over another, or the lack of acceptance that things like gender identity are as varied as the shape and size of grains of sand on a beach. We are the same but we’re also different, but the nuances aren’t enough for us to treat each other badly. In fact the differences between us are what we need to celebrate, to learn from, to grow from.

With recent political events one would be asking, how have we regressed to no longer strive for the once commonly accepted goal of equality for all?

Bigotry has always been with us, it’s a cancer of human existence. Equality shouldn’t be optional, it should be a given. Why people fight so hard against that idea is beyond comprehension. If you asked every person on earth if they wanted to be treated equally and not treated differently for being different, they’d most likely answer for equality. So why do we not have equality yet? The answer is still bigotry.

There are many complexities to bigotry, and we shouldn’t excuse any of them. Equality isn’t optional, it must be for all, every single one of us. The great devastating irony is that equality is actually achievable, but only if we all accept it. The contradiction for the ages, accepting that equality is for all, but only if we all accept it, all us different but the same humans.  

The last few decades of social upheaval has seen the rising influence of the extremist conservative right, which in many ways doesn’t even try to mask that they’re desperately trying to reinstate a system that aims to not protect the basic right of equality. When you speak to a racist, a bigot, a homophobe, a transphobic, xenophobia, and talk about the concept of equaluity, they’re all for it, but with caveats. Caveats that protect whatever level of perceived privilege they think they have. But there are no caveats, equality isn’t optional.

If you want to achieve a reality where equality is genuine and not optional, then you must work for it. You must have the conversations that challenge the ingrained prejudice of the bigotted, you must speak up, call out the moments where equality is threatened. This is not an easy ask, but no path to positive social change has ever been an easy road. We need to be vigil working on ourselves and others, forever a work in progress. Leaning into apathy won’t ever make the change you want to see.

If you value equality for yourself, then you must value it for everyone.

Do something about it, anything. Just do something.