Another extract from my upcoming work. This extract is from one of the "exotic essays", a thought-provoking text about the difference between what we think equality means, and what it, in reality, means, presented with a hypothetical reality of what if Gender did not exist.
§ 1. 50 bucks and into the wilderness
Think, if every human being was given fifty bucks, simple clothes, a dictionary, and a book; preferably Nicomachean Ethics, and thus anything else did not exist before – and, thereafter all were dropped off a bus into the wilderness - what would really happen - if everyone were given such an equal opportunity? And let’s say that some of the individuals in the aforementioned scenario were struggling, and did not fare as well as others - what if they were given an extra hand, or just a hint, to guarantee the same outcome for them as any other who were thrown into wilderness moments ago, would you deem this to be rightful? That is, the question, equality or equity, or neither?
What if all that there was, was one race, one sort of humans, one color, one size, one shape, and of one sex - and oh, does the list go on... What would the world be if Gender did not exist? On one hand; has it not been argued that the differences of nature, like sex and color, do not matter, and so it should seem so that in this hypothetical reality it should not matter either - yet, on the other hand, it does seem to matter, because why else would this type of hypothetical reality provoke the non-radical in You?
What a paradox. It does matter, yet it should not.
One thing is certain, there will always be differences, there will be Man and Woman, there will be leaders and followers, bosses and subordinates, speakers and doers, thinkers, night-walkers, acrobats and dancers - oh, what a wonderful world. Denying reality would not make sense. What truly matters is how we accept the facts. There is nothing gray between differences and equal rights, thus, it is all rather, black and white.
§2. The unavoidable differences
Firstly, what is, unavoidable: we are biologically born either male or female[1]. What happens thereafter is not yet of the essence. Everyone is free to decide on the future, in the realms of responsibility.
Already this born-nature is, unavoidable, vital in [our] inquiry about equality. When we say ‘equality’, as previously concluded it is a question of opportunity. Nothing should stop our equal freedom and build-in-nature equality, that which is, separate from the born-nature differences. In an equal society, everyone has a chance, abiding to responsibility. What a beautiful society that truly is. Yet, the unfortunate reality is. Equality is not simply decided and thus done. There is work to be done. Not only what some call “the evil and conservative norms” that disrupt progress, but the over-progressiveness disrupting the good elements of past structure in society is also harmful.
§ 3. Beyond the biological differences
How can we then get past the biological difference? Regrettably, there are more obstacles that are beyond the biological differences, that is what is born-nature. If we dream of a build-in-nature equality, we must have too feared the opposite, a build-in-differences, viz., societally born differences. If we follow the prior logical reasoning and think of a society where equality of opportunity is a valid structural element it follows that everyone will not equally make use of the [equal] opportunity. Everyone will not be a doctor, nor would everyone make a great doctor. Neither will everyone be lucky, why else would there exist a concept such as unluckiness? Therefore the question becomes, are we responsible for making sure everyone’s outcome is equal? Or is it the responsibility of the individual?
O.K
[1] or in the rarest, most exquisite cases, the possibility of being born intersex.
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