How Does Social Justice Affect Our Daily Lives?
Photo by Deon Black on LetsTalkSex
Today is the World Day of Social Justice, and it surely deserves to be celebrated! It appears on our calendar for a good reason: we shall never give up the quest for a fairer society.
We generally hear the term "social justice" from the mouths of activists, non-profit organisations, and governments' representatives - but do you know what it means? And even, how does social (in)justice permeate your daily life?
Demystifying social justice: what is it about?
Definition of social justice
Social justice is a broad concept that encompasses a lot of different aspects of our lives in society.
Let's start by breaking it down:
"Social" refers to the collective, and the ways we live in a society
"Justice" corresponds to the idea of fairness for all
By putting them together, we understand that social justice is fair and equitable treatment of people in the context of society.
It's about addressing the relationship between individuals and society, which implies that rules need to be implemented to live peacefully together. For everyone to be treated in the same way, we need to obey laws and regulations that protect us from unfair actions initiated by others. And so, by fulfilling duties, we're ideally able to get the benefits from this system.
However, in practice, the ideal of equal access to wealth, opportunities, personal freedom, and social privileges hasn't been matched yet by our society.
Indeed, while significant progress has been made, inequalities still plague our society, affecting the lives of marginalised and disadvantaged groups.
Concretely, who is in charge to take measures against social injustice? Governments, foundations, and non-profit organisations are the ones that implement policies. New rules frequently have to do with voting, policing, environmental, healthcare, education and labour rights.
The origins of social justice
Starting in England as early as the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution marked a shift in the way people used to live and work and society as a whole. Undeniably, the Industrial Revolution was an age of valuable progress for western nations.
Development of technology
Higher productivity due to the invention of machine tools
Replacement of hand production by automation
Beginning of manufacturing process
Increasing wages and employment opportunities
Improving living standards
Economic growth
Emergence of a middle class
Surely, progress and higher productivity were great for economic growth. But what about the people? Industrialization transformed people's lives from top to bottom, leading to numerous social consequences. Let's take the example of Great Britain:
The majority of the population (meaning the bottom of the social ladder) didn't see their living standards improve until the late 19th century
Worse, it was proved that workers living standards declined under the early capitalism
The average weight of the population decreased
Chronic hunger and malnutrition were common, as food supplies were more expensive than average wages could afford
Lack of adequate housing, overcrowded apartments without clean water or sanitation
Cholera was spreading because of the lack of hygiene (untreated sewage, etc.)
Long hours and harsh working conditions were the workers' daily reality
Child labor was common practice
Around 1840, the Catholic Priest Luigi Taparelli coined the term "social justice" as we understand it today. Living amidst the Industrial Revolution, a time of profound social change, economic growth, and political turmoil, he observed that society was far from being homogeneous. Instead, it was composed of diverse layers of sub societies with their own specific needs and struggles.
And so, at a time when the gap between rich and poor was dramatically increasing, social justice appeared because of the need to encourage a more egalitarian type of society. Taparelli believed that each individual should have both duties and rights, in order to be recognized and supported.
The ideal of a fair society vs. social justice issues
In opposition to social justice, what does social injustice look like? And how does it affect our lives? Social injustice occurs when unfair actions are done in society, resulting in taking away an oppressed group's rights and opportunities.
To tackle injustice, five principles are to take into consideration for a fairer society. We will illustrate each principle with current global issues, revealing how social justice affects each one of us.
The Principle of Access
The idea that resources and services should be accessible to everyone. It can refer to healthcare, food, shelter, education, recreational activities, and more.
What kind of issues do we have in the world related to the lack of access?
Huge disparities between rich and poor: According to the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report of 2019, 44% of the world’s wealth is owned by 1% of the global population.
The Principle of Equity
The acknowledgment that all individuals have specific needs to achieve a common goal. Some are born with less, some with more, and equity is the idea that we need to provide particular help according to each individual's needs. In brief, it's about giving more to those who need more, in opposition to equality, which means providing the same tools for all.
What kind of issues do we have in the world related to inequity?
Unequal access to stable employment: in the history of the USA, Black Americans have always had higher unemployment rates, fewer job opportunities, and lower pay.
Gender Pay Gap: even today, women still earn less than men for the exact same job. Globally, women make 77 cents for every dollar their male peers earn.
The Principle of Human Rights
According to the United Nations: "Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination."
What kind of issues do we have in the world related to the violation of human rights?
Hunger in the world: while 821 million people in the world suffered from hunger in 2018, one-third of the food produced each year is lost or wasted. According to the World Food Program, there is theoretically enough food to sustain the global population, but it's unequally distributed.
Violence and racial inequality: people of color still experience systemic racism, as the recent movement "Black Lives Matter" demonstrated. According to the American Psychological Association, Black Americans have 3,5 times more chances to be killed by the police than White Americans.
The Principle of Participation
It means that everyone should have the opportunity to express opinions concerning anything that could affect their living standards. The opposite of fair participation is when a small group chooses for the majority.
What kind of issues do we have in the world related to the lack of participation?
Women's suffrage: in 1928, British women acquired the right to vote on equal terms with their male peers. Still today, not all women are allowed to do so. In 2018, a petition was launched by progressive catholic organizations claiming that female religious superiors should be allowed to vote at the synod. We are in 2021, and only this year, Pope Francis chose the first woman that will be granted the right to vote (for the first time ever) in Vatican City.
The Principle of Diversity
The acknowledgment and valorization of the differences between all individuals (sex, ethnicity, age, gender, etc.) should avoid the spread of discriminative behaviors. We all have distinctive needs and backgrounds, and for that reason, we need to expand opportunities to marginalized and disadvantaged groups.
What kind of issues do we have in the world related to the lack of diversity?
Under-representation of disabled people in the UK television industry: the Diamond report revealed that, between August 2019 and July 2020, disabled people made up just 5.8% of the off-screen workforce and 8.2% on-screen, even though they represent 18% of the population.
Age discrimination at work: it's a common practice to push older workers to retire. To prove that, the insurance company Hiscox conducted a study in 2019 about age discrimination in the US. It stated that 44% of the people interviewed (over 40 years old) reported witnessing or experiencing discrimination at work.
Social justice and sexuality: how is sex regulated?
We will explore now how social justice affects our intimate life, with a particular focus on sexuality. Is our sexuality more influenced by social justice (and injustice) than we think?
Throughout history, social justice had to intervene in protecting our rights related to reproduction, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex work, and finally, in recognizing children and women's rights.
Here are some examples of situations in which the law works (or not) towards more sexual freedom.
The criminalization of particular sexual behaviors
The law can either protect individuals from harmful behaviors such as sexual abuse or forbid people to give in "deviant sexualities". It can be tricky to define "appropriate" sexuality as it's often related to social norms.
Across the globe, the perception of what is socially acceptable, or not, is vast. For example, homosexuality is now widely accepted in Western countries, while it's still very stigmatized in other parts of the world.
Sexual violence as a criminal offense: in Europe, any sexual contact without consent is considered a crime. There are now laws that classify rape, incest, sexual abuse, pedophilia, and other acts of violence as criminal offenses. In this case, the law aims to protect the victims and punish the oppressors.
LGBTQ+ Rights: In Indonesia, for example, this community has been increasingly the target of the police. Lawmakers are trying to implement new legislation that would force LGBTQ+ people to join rehabilitation centers in order to "cure" their sexual orientation. This case demonstrates that the law can also prevent freedom, instead of promoting it.
Recognition and regulation of marriage, family and partnership
Depending on our gender and sexual orientation, we are not all equal when it comes to the ability to be with the person we love, legally speaking. For heterosexual couples, these rights are often taken for granted.
LGBTQ+ marriage: while in the UK same-sex couples acquired the right to get married in 2013, in Russia, the same year, "gay propaganda" got forbidden.
LGBTQ+ parenting: until very recently, same-sex couples were denied the right to adopt children, for no other reason than their sexual orientation. Today, in France, LGBTQ+ couples can adopt a child on the condition that they are already married.
Allowing or restricting sexual autonomy and privacy
There are cases in which people cannot make decisions for themselves, as social norms profoundly influence them. These norms can be so ingrained in people's beliefs, that not obeying can lead a person to be ostracised, abandoned by their family and community.
Female circumcision: genital mutilation is a form of discrimination against women, and still a common practice in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. It is often considered necessary to prepare girls for marriage, reduce their libido, control their sexuality, hence "ensure marital fidelity".
Male circumcision: in many parts of the world, circumcision is also practiced on boys. For example, in Jewish communities, it is done on the 8th day after a child's birth. It represents a religious commitment and the fact of being part of the community. Although it's common usage, there is a big debate on consent and the real benefits of this practice.
Protection against discrimination, inequality, violence and harassment
We call discrimination the unfair treatment of a person on the grounds of differences such as race, sex, gender or sexual orientation. Gender-based violence can be physical, sexual, and even mental, consisting of threats and loss of freedom.
Violence towards women: according to WHO, 1 in 3 of women have experienced violence in their life, and 38% of women that are murdered are killed by a male partner.
Discrimination at work: in the USA, 2020 was the year when firing workers because of their sexual orientation and/or gender became illegal.
How can we promote social justice every day?
A Day for Social Justice is excellent, but what about making it a daily thing?
"Be the change you wish to see in the world", Gandhi said.
Easier said than done, you think? Here are some baby steps for you to implement.
Spreading information is an easy first step, and particularly accessible for social media users. The movement "Black Lives Matter" proves the impact that a single post can have... It turned into a global movement.
If you're passionate or feel particularly sympathetic to a social justice issue, research about it, check if you could contribute to the work of a local association.
Although we are all different, coming in all shapes and colors, we need to cherish diversity and adopt an inclusive mindset. Even if we disagree. Even if it's out of our comfort zone.
We are all worthy of love and respect ♥
Additional Resources about Social Justice
Sexuality and Social Justice Toolkit, Institute of Development Studies (UK)
Social Justice in an Open World, United Nations
Meetings Coverage and Press Releases about current social issues, United Nations
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