Speaking truth while living through it takes courage — and grace that history rarely sees in real time. False equivalence can be extremely effective,
Speaking truth while living through it takes courage — and grace that history rarely sees in real time.
False equivalence can be extremely effective, especially in public discourse, because it simplifies complex power dynamics into something that feels emotionally relatable or fair — even when it’s misleading.
Here’s why it works so well:
- Emotional resonance: Comparing oneself to a genuine victim of oppression (like Billie Holiday) taps into people’s sense of justice and empathy.
- Cognitive shortcut: Audiences often don’t scrutinize the context — they just see two “struggles” being compared and assume they’re similar. Like when Jon Stewart compares a candidate for mayor of New York City to the legendary-there-will-never-be-another, Jackie Robinson.
- Moral reframing: It flips the moral script — positioning the powerful or privileged as misunderstood underdogs.
- Media amplification: Catchy, dramatic comparisons spread quickly and are easy to repeat, reinforcing the illusion of parity.
In short, false equivalence can manipulate narratives by borrowing the moral weight of real oppression to protect or elevate someone who isn’t actually oppressed in that way.
Here’s how to counter false equivalence effectively, especially when it’s being used to distort social or historical issues:
💡 1. Name it early and clearly
Call out that a false equivalence is being made before debating its details.
“That comparison doesn’t hold — it treats two very different situations as if they’re the same.”
This may stop the conversation from being framed on false terms.
🧭 2. Recenter the context
False equivalence thrives on removing context — so reinsert it.
“Billie Holiday faced systemic racial exclusion and daily threats simply because she sang and spoke truth. That’s not the same as facing criticism for your decisions.”
Ground the discussion in facts and history to re-establish perspective.
🧱 3. Highlight the power imbalance
Point out the asymmetry between the compared groups or situations.
“One of these experiences involved being locked out of opportunity by a system; the other involves facing accountability within that system.”
Reminding people who had (and still has) structural power dismantles the illusion of sameness.
🪞 4. Ask clarifying questions
Invite them to walk through their reasoning — often, the inconsistencies will reveal themselves. If not to them, to you.
“In what ways do you see your experience as similar to that of someone breaking racial barriers?”
Often, they’ll struggle to justify it. OR they will strongly assert their position. (These days be prepared for an insult or slur at the end.)
🔍 5. Use moral precision, not moral outrage
Instead of just saying “That’s offensive,” say why it’s inaccurate or manipulative.
“That analogy dilutes what racial pioneers actually endured, which makes it harder to talk about real progress or injustice.”
This keeps your tone firm but reasoned, which persuades by clarity rather than emotion.
🌱 6. Redirect to the real issue
Don’t let the false equivalence derail the main point.
“Rather than comparing struggles, let’s focus on the specific concerns being raised about inclusion and accountability.”
It brings the conversation back to substance.
🌅 In Closing
If you’re a member of the oppressed group, none of this will ever feel easy.
You’re not only analyzing injustice; you’re living through it. You’re caring for yourself, supporting family and friends who are still carrying the weight of it, and trying to make sense of a world that can still wound you in familiar ways.
Responding with patience and clarity takes immense strength when you’re already navigating the exhaustion of being unheard or misunderstood. Remember that change is gradual — it rarely arrives all at once. But every honest conversation, every moment of truth-telling, helps move the line forward.
So rest when you need to, speak when you can, and know that tomorrow keeps coming — with room for growth, healing, and the possibility of something better.
Change is slow, healing is slower, but both move — and so do we!
🌺 Affirmations for This Unique Journey
I am guided by those who came before me. Their wisdom moves through my hands, my choices, and my courage.
I honor my pace. Becoming takes time, and I do not rush what is sacred.
I am proof of survival and possibility. Every breath I take is a continuation of a story once interrupted.
My softness is not weakness. It is where my spirit breathes and renews its power.
Even when unseen, I am growing. Roots deepen in quiet soil.
I release the weight that isn’t mine to carry. I walk lighter, freer, and closer to myself.
Joy is my act of resistance. Every smile, every laugh, every bit of peace is revolutionary.
I am tending, enduring, and still becoming — all at once. That is my revolution in motion.
The ancestors light my path, but my steps are my own. I walk forward with gratitude and grace.
Tomorrow holds space for me. I arrive as I am, still growing, still radiant, still worthy.