The state of being equal, especially in rights, opportunities, and treatment. It often refers to fairness between different groups of people.
From Old French *egalite*, from Latin *aequalitas* 'sameness, uniformity, equality', from *aequalis* 'equal'. It has been central in political and social movements for centuries.
Equality doesn’t mean everyone is the same; it means differences don’t change your basic worth or rights. The word is written into major documents like the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man. Each time a new group fights for equality, they’re plugging into a very old word with unfinished business.
“Equality” has been a key term in movements for women’s and gender minorities’ rights, from suffrage to equal pay and anti-discrimination laws. Debates have distinguished between formal equality (same rules) and substantive equality (addressing structural disadvantages).
Use “equality” with clarity about whether you mean legal, economic, political, or social equality, and recognize that gender equality intersects with race, class, sexuality, and other factors. Avoid framing equality as a zero-sum loss for any group.
["equity (when emphasizing fairness and context)","parity","equal rights","equal opportunity"]
Women’s and feminist movements globally have shaped modern understandings of equality, pushing institutions to recognize and remedy systemic discrimination.
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