--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: calls for equal treatment are often seen…" description: "\"calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.\" — Anita Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png" --- # calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for… ![“calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.” quote by Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png) > “calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.” [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often misinterpret demands for fairness as seeking extra advantages, especially where bias is entrenched. **In simple terms:** Fairness can be seen as special treatment when bias is normal. Key Takeaway Clarify that equality means removing unfair advantage. Themes equality fairness bias social justice Mood concerned hopeful Type political advocacy When to use this quote - policy reform - workplace training - legal challenges - public advocacy Key Concepts systemic discrimination privilege rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we communicate that equality benefits everyone? - What examples show fairness improving outcomes? A Different Perspective Opponents may claim equal treatment threatens existing power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Equal treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-treatment/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Special treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-treatment/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) ## Related quotes > [Civil rights used to be about treating everyone the same. But today some people are so used to special treatment that equal treatment is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/civil-rights-used-to-be-about-treating-everyone-the-same-but-today/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Women don't want equal treatment, they couldn't handle it if they got it. It's a tough world out there. What a lot of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/women-don-t-want-equal-treatment-they-couldn-t-handle-it-if-they-got-2/) [Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/) > [Women don't want equal treatment, they couldn't handle it if they got it. It's a tough world out there. What a lot of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/women-don-t-want-equal-treatment-they-couldn-t-handle-it-if-they-got/) [Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/) > [When I was teaching at an institution that bent over backward for foreign students, I was asked in class one day: "What is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/when-i-was-teaching-at-an-institution-that-bent-over-backward-for/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [E.U. law provides agency workers with the right to equal treatment, and all workers with maximum working hours. It forces governments to take environmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-lewis/e-u-law-provides-agency-workers-with-the-right-to-equal-treatment-and/) [Clive Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-lewis/) > [“What I don’t understand is how some people say they can recognize the necessity to provide people with equal treatment under the law but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-perry/what-i-don-t-understand-is-how-some-people-say-they-can-recognize-the/) [Natalie Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-perry/) > [Equal treatment for children in unequal situations is not justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/equal-treatment-for-children-in-unequal-situations-is-not-justice/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [“Justice in a fallen world is not equality of outcome but equal treatment under a fair law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/justice-in-a-fallen-world-is-not-equality-of-outcome-but-equal/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“This wasn’t the Dark Ages, and she wasn’t living in a third world nation where women didn’t have any rights and were treated unequally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-lyons/this-wasn-t-the-dark-ages-and-she-wasn-t-living-in-a-third-world/) [Missy Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-lyons/) > [“But even when the principle of equal treatment was betrayed, American leaders in every era have emphatically affirmed it, not so much out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/but-even-when-the-principle-of-equal-treatment-was-betrayed-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“But equal treatment in an unequal society could still foster inequality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/but-equal-treatment-in-an-unequal-society-could-still-foster/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Treating people the same is not equal treatment if they are not the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/treating-people-the-same-is-not-equal-treatment-if-they-are-not-the/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [People need to see signs of equal treatment across society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/people-need-to-see-signs-of-equal-treatment-across-society/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [Black lives matter' doesn't mean that all lives do not matter, rather it is a cry for equal treatment in the greater circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/black-lives-matter-doesn-t-mean-that-all-lives-do-not-matter-rather/) [Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/) > [There are people out there every day really fighting the fight for equal rights, equal pay, equal treatment. They're inspiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/there-are-people-out-there-every-day-really-fighting-the-fight-for/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) ## More by Anita Hill > [It would have been more comfortable to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/it-would-have-been-more-comfortable-to-remain-silent/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Telling the world is the most difficult experience of my life, but it is very close to having to live through the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/telling-the-world-is-the-most-difficult-experience-of-my-life-but-it/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [we need to turn the question around to look at the harasser, not the target. We need to be sure that we can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/we-need-to-turn-the-question-around-to-look-at-the-harasser-not-the/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Most women who are harassed don't come forward, they don't complain because they're skeptical of the process, or they don't think anything is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/most-women-who-are-harassed-don-t-come-forward-they-don-t-complain/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I became the messenger who had to be killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-became-the-messenger-who-had-to-be-killed/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [If I can mean to people - if I can symbolize the ability to pursue gender equality, racial equality, and to be truthful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/if-i-can-mean-to-people-if-i-can-symbolize-the-ability-to-pursue/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [The real problem is that the way that power is given out in our society pits us against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/the-real-problem-is-that-the-way-that-power-is-given-out-in-our/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [When I think of what has happened in a larger sense, beyond myself, then I would not change anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/when-i-think-of-what-has-happened-in-a-larger-sense-beyond-myself/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I have no personal vendetta against Clarence Thomas. I seek only to provide the committee with information which it may regard as relevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-have-no-personal-vendetta-against-clarence-thomas-i-seek-only-to/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I was aware, however, that telling at any point in my career could adversely affect my future career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-was-aware-however-that-telling-at-any-point-in-my-career-could/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I see myself as an educator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-see-myself-as-an-educator/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [The experience of testifying and the aftermath have changed my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/the-experience-of-testifying-and-the-aftermath-have-changed-my-life/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding-is-that-all-of-these-things/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I resent the idea that people would blame the messenger for the message, rather than looking at the content of the message itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-resent-the-idea-that-people-would-blame-the-messenger-for-the/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I am really proud to be a part in whatever way of women becoming active in the political scene. I think it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-am-really-proud-to-be-a-part-in-whatever-way-of-women-becoming/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) [Explore all 43 Anita Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) ## More Discrimination quotes > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [I believe that those who promote discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or any other grounds are gravely mistaken about the values that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/i-believe-that-those-who-promote-discrimination-on-the-basis-of/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [It is obvious that discrimination exists. Women do not have the opportunities that men do. And women that do not conform to the system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/it-is-obvious-that-discrimination-exists-women-do-not-have-the/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Judging someone by the color of their skin is ignorant. Their skin complexion has nothing to do with their morals, beliefs or intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/judging-someone-by-the-color-of-their-skin-is-ignorant-their-skin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We try to take a very strong stance against discrimination and hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-blecharczyk/we-try-to-take-a-very-strong-stance-against-discrimination-and-hatred/) [Nathan Blecharczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-blecharczyk/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) > [End discrimination and hate everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candy/end-discrimination-and-hate-everyone/) [Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candy/) > [This bill would allow an employee to bring a claim against an employer decades after the alleged initial act of discrimination occurred. Trial lawyers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-mckeon/this-bill-would-allow-an-employee-to-bring-a-claim-against-an/) Buck McKeon > [Legal discrimination between the sexes is, in almost every instance, founded on outmoded views of society and the pre-scientific beliefs about psychology and physiology.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/legal-discrimination-between-the-sexes-is-in-almost-every-instance/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) [Browse all 1,366 Discrimination quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anita Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen-as-calls-for-special/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discrimination" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen-as-calls-for-special/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/anita-hill-15394_discrimination_calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen_839467.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination…” — Anita Hill", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anita Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "calls for equal treatment are often...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen-as-calls-for-special/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen-as-calls-for-special/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```