Today is International Women’s Day (IWD), a global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
We are surrounded by notable women everywhere; hard-workers, dreamers, entrepreneurs and strong women. Just look around! You can see it in your partner, your daughter, your mum, your teacher, your doctor, your friend… and here at the American Society for Deaf Children, we are woman/female led!
At ASDC, we are all very proud to work closely with inspiring, clever, supportive, energetic and enthusiastic women of all ages. We learn every day from our peers, allied partners, parents, families, and especially the children we serve the importance of fighting for a world free of stereotypes, discrimination, and seeking out inclusion, not only for women, but for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
This year’s IWD theme for this year is #EmbraceEquity and it seeks to get the world talking about why Equal Opportunities (and equal access) aren’t enough. We believe that accessibility is an important part of this discussion as well.
So, what’s the difference between equity, equality, and accessibility? We’ll explain!
Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities and is more commonly associated with social issues. Equality is generic, group-focused, and equal.
Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Equity is adaptable, individual-focused, and fair.
Accessibility is giving equitable access to everyone along the continuum of human ability and experience. It is the practice of making information, activities, and/or environments sensible, meaningful, and usable for everyone regardless of ability and with an equivalent ease of use. Accessiblity is diverse, ability-focused, and barrier-free.
This illustration gives you an idea of the difference between equality, equity, and accessibility:
Image courtesy of Wilson Language Training
#EmbraceEquity is something we need to think about, know, value and actively support within our own sphere of influence, especially in creating equitable access to language development for EVERY deaf child from the very start.
Happy International Women’s Day!
You can learn more about IWD 2023 here >>
Enjoy these ASL resources for Women’s History Month and Deaf Women’s History Month, both celebrated annually in the United States during the month of March.
You can see these and other women-led ASL Storytelling Videos on our ASL Stories Directory Page!
