Embracing equity

FULLNESS of life for all with Jesus. That’s our vision as The Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland Territory. If we are serious about seeing fullness of life for everyone, then equity is a priority.

The challenges of female leadership in modern society have made headlines in recent weeks with the resignations of New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, and Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon. Whatever you think about their politics, these women have faced hurdles and criticism not experienced by their male counterparts. Our newsfeeds remind us daily that men and women are not treated the same.

But is that the goal? That we treat everyone the same? The UN has said ‘equal opportunities aren’t enough’ and called people to #EmbraceEquity on International Women’s Day (8 March). To show solidarity, people were invited to strike the #EmbraceEquity pose and share a photo on social media using the hashtag. Equity acknowledges that people start from different positions and therefore need to be treated differently – that marginalised groups need different resources and opportunities to thrive and achieve the same outcomes as privileged groups.

For example, I can’t ignore the fact that I have a privileged experience of womanhood. I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual, non-disabled, British woman. International Women’s Day is not only an opportunity for men to listen to women – and play their part in advocating for and supporting them – but for women to listen to other women. So who am I listening to?

It’s rather disappointing for me to realise that the women who immediately came to mind when writing this are white. After typing ‘inspiring women’ into Google, I came across the BBC’s 100 Women 2022, a list full of experiences of womanhood that are different to my own. Dima Aktaa from Syria lost her leg when her home was bombed in 2012 –she’s now training to compete in the 2024 Paralympics. Moud Goba, from the UK, is a Zimbabwean refugee, a lesbian