Equal opportunity is a descriptive term for an approach intended to give equal access to an environment or benefits, such as education, employment, health care, or social welfare to members of various social groups, some of which might otherwise suffer from discrimination. This can involve hiring and other practices. Major social groupings involved are those delineated by aspects of gender, race, or religion.
Equal opportunity practices that are race-blind or gender-blind may be distinguished from practices that involve or require affirmative action. The United States federal government and various state and local governments require affirmative action in terms of governmental hiring and contracting; other countries make any such action illegal.
Some think discrimination is a natural human practice which cannot be prevented by legislation. As a result, they argue that anti-discrimination measures are wasteful and ineffective.
Equalopportunity is a descriptive term for an approach intended to give equal access to a certain social environment, or to ensure people are not specifically excluded from participating in activities such as education, employment, or health care on the basis of immutable traits.
Equalopportunity practices that are race-blind or gender-blind may be distinguished from practices that involve or require affirmative action or reverse discrimination.
Equalopportunity does not necessarily diminish the possibible rewards of meritocracy where treatment is based on immutable traits only.
Equalopportunity practices that are race-blind or gender-blind may be distinguished from practices that involve or require affirmative action or reverse discrimination (referred to as 'positive discrimination' in the UK).
Equalopportunity does not diminish the ability of individuals to reap the rewards of their merit in a meritocracy.
Equality pursued through programs such as affirmative action (positive discrimination) and income redistribution are the pursuit of equal outcomes or social justice.
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