How to talk about equity when you don't have the words.

When we posted about equity last week, it clearly resonated. And it confirmed what we've been sensing: many of us want to have conversations about equity, and many of us get stuck. Not because we don't care, but because we don't always have the words.

Some of us are still facing our own beliefs and reforming our ideas about what equity means across different contexts. Some of us can grasp the difference between equity and equality, but can't quite land the explanation in simple terms. And when we try to talk with people in our communities about why so many Government policies continue to perpetuate, rather than resolve, issues in our country, we struggle to reach for the words to deliver it the way we'd like.

But we know that understanding equity and equality is foundational to genuinely fair, beneficial decision-making. It matters for everyone, so it's worth talking about.

We're living through unusually dense political times in Aotearoa. Decisions are landing faster than most people can process them. Legislation is moving through Parliament that would have generated months of public debate in another era. And in the middle of trying to keep up with it all, we also have family, friends, and colleagues who see things differently.

In this climate it might feel overwhelming to willingly invite more challenges into your life via tricky conversations. When words fail to land in rooms of tension, it's not only exhausting, but often counterproductive. But in spite of this, it's not the time to go quiet or give up.

Because here's what we consistently notice in our mahi: the conversations that feel too hard to have are usually the ones that matter most. And yes they feel hard, because they are! Sometimes we just need to lock in simple ways of sharing meaning; ways that can cut through the tension, maintain the relationship, invite learning and discussion, and build awareness. 

Language matters more than we think. Especially in an election year.

The phrases that circulate in political debate don't just describe reality, they shape it. When certain ideas go unchallenged long enough, they start to sound like common sense. And it's entirely logical that common sense becomes policy, right?!

Phrases like "One law for all." "We're past all that now." "Why should

some people get more than others." are not neutral observations. They're opinions formed into simplistic arguments that are carefully dressed and easy to digest.

There are political actors globally and here in Aotearoa that systematically and intentionally deploy the language of fairness to enact and embed deeply regressive policies that continue to perpetuate harm to indigenous peoples. It's a tried and true strategy we see repeated across history, headlines, countries, and contexts. The language sounds reasonable, palatable, sensible. The policies feel 'fair' and 'good.' But the outcomes are not. History has shown us clear evidence that these policies actually entrench social and economic disparities. 

The gap between how something sounds and what it actually does is exactly where racism thrives. It rarely announces itself; it arrives sounding like common sense.

That's why the words matter. When we don't have a response ready, we tend to go quiet, or get frustrated and say something in a way we didn't mean. Maybe we 'give up' and walk away feeling deflated, having dropped a conversation we feel we 'should' have been able to hold.

In Aotearoa the decisions being made right now, about Te Tiriti, about who gets a voice in local government, about what our health and education systems are required to do, will shape this country for a long time. And the groups most adversely affected by those decisions are not the ones driving them.

Which means we all have work to do. Not just turning up to vote in November, (though that matters enormously), but building our skills and language so we can show up in conversations happening right now, or start them in a way that leads to learning and change. Whether we're in our workplaces, communities, or with our families, the skill we can build is staying in the room when it gets uncomfortable, and finding ways to keep the kōrero clear without torching the relationship. 

That's what the carousel was about. And it's what this downloadable is about too.

We've taken the four phrases about equity we hear most often in Aotearoa, the ones that come up again and again in our facilitation mahi, and put them on one page. What each phrase assumes. And a response worth trying when you find yourself in that conversation.

It's not a script; it's a starting point. Something to keep on your phone or stick on the fridge for the next time you need it.

You can download it below. And please do share it with someone who could use it.

And if these conversations are a regular part of your life, personally or professionally, keep an eye on our resources. We've got some things coming that we think will help.

Get the download

The kōrero matters. You showing up for it matters.

Ngā mihi,

Thirdspace Aotearoa