Treating people the same is not equal treatment if they are not the same.
Interpretation
Equality does not mean treating everyone identically, but rather recognizing individual differences and needs.
This quote emphasizes the idea that true equality involves acknowledging the unique characteristics and circumstances of individuals rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. It suggests that treating people the same way without considering their distinct experiences can lead to unfairness, as it fails to accommodate their specific needs and contexts.
In practice
In a discussion about educational policies, one might quote this to highlight the importance of tailored teaching methods for diverse student needs.
Women as mothers grapple with corresponding contradictions. The adoration they feel for their grown daughters, mixed with the sense of responsibility for their well-being, can be overwhelming, matched only by the hurt they feel when their attempts to help or just stay connected are rebuffed or even excoriated as criticism or devilish interference.
Sister relationships span a huge range, from best friends to worst enemies. From 'I adore her; I talk to her five times a day' to 'I decided to cut her out of my life.' For most women, it's in between.
The trickiest thing about the double bind is that it operates imperceptibly, like shots from a gun with a silencer.
For most women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport: a way of establishing connections and negotiating relationships.
Mothers and daughters find in each other the source of great comfort but also of great pain. We talk to each other in better and worse ways than we talk to anyone else.
Our spirits are corroded by living in an atmosphere of unrelenting contention - an argument culture.
Drowning people Sometimes die Fighting their rescuers.
I think we understand that for the Court to work well, we have to not only respect but genuinely like each other.
Jealousy is indeed a poor medium to secure love, but it is a secure medium to destroy one's self-respect. For jealous people, like dope-fiends, stoop to the lowest level and in the end inspire only disgust and loathing.
While we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.
When we admit our vulnerability, we include others. If we deny it, we shut them out.
Asking someone to be with us turns out to be an impossibly demanding and therefore pretty mean thing to suggest to anyone we would really want the best for.
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