Equality?

It's a strange thought; We're all different, yet we fight so desperately to all be treated the same.  It's quite the oxymoron, I must say.  If something is so unique, shouldn't it be treated in accordance to its individuality or distinctness?  Our race, our religion, our hair colour, our beliefs, our gender, our social class, our sexual preference, our culture, our jobs, our everything; the list of what separates us into individuals drags on for eons, down to the tiniest of moles and freckles.  So this equality we're striving for, is being constantly interrupted by the fact that we're just our uniquely human selves.  But, perhaps by being unique individuals we're technically the same...  We all share that common uniqueness, which alters this oxymoron into more of a correlative statement.

For all differences or for all similarities, the question still remains:  What does equality mean?

This topic is something I've explored before.  The idea of what equality means to most of us.  Generally speaking, to be treated with equality is to be treated the same despite your differences from those in comparison to you.  We tend to consider treating others with equality as tolerating their differences.  However, I don't agree with this idea.

To be tolerated. It insinuates that we're pretending the differences aren't there anymore - that they're just the same.  They're not the same.  They never will be the same.  In my eyes, to tolerate is the same as ignoring, pitying, stereotyping, judging, victimizing or showcasing an individual because of those differences.

I'm suggesting that as an alternative, we should always accept, never tolerate.  Every being deserves to be unconditionally accepted for what they are.  To be accepted means that instead of having to understand and tolerate something, it's immediately accepted for what it is - no questions asked, no judgements. Unlike ignorance, we know it's there and we can appreciate it.  Be that difference negative or positive, it doesn't matter.  We accept it sans judgement or stereotype.

Revisiting the question, what is equality, the answer is acceptance.  Only through acceptance can equality truly exist, not tolerance.

What do you think?