5050 (fifty-fifty) seems to mean different things to different people. To some it represents an Angel Number. To others it means going Dutch. What we’d like to mention here, is how ‘gender equity’ leads to ‘gender equality’ and how that can improve the basis upon which you meet people. There are many issues to do with inequality that the 50/50 cause aims to re-balance.
Firstly, let’s explain difference between ‘equality’ & ‘equity’.
Gender equality focuses on the equal representation of males and females in the workplace and in organisations. It aims to correct the under-representation of both women and men. Whereas gender equity recognises that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Equality is the end goal, equity is the means to get there.
How Will Going 50/50 Keep Me Safe?
By remaining independent and paying for yourself i.e. going 50/50 You’re going a long way to ensuring your safety, as you will be reliant on no one, so you will be obligated to no one. This is what we mean by 50/50 – remaining independent means that ‘a level playing field’ is instantly created. You are definitely not being rude by being independent.
How Females Need the Support Of Males
A caring male does not want to be seen as sexist and so therefore, is usually in favor of gender equality – in the context of meeting females or non-binary peoples, it means that that everyone is treated fairly and respectfully. This means not bringing gender role play to the meeting i.e. a female must acquiesce to a male if he is paying. Or a male must open a door or pay for things. Males who are supportive of female ideals will not only be happy that you are remaining independent and paying for yourself – they know they will be financially better off.
Males are supportive of females and non-binary people and of equality, and the emphasis on 50/50. Because it means they are not taking on all the financial responsibility. Making males aware that meeting people doesn’t mean paying a bill at the end, seems crucial to get their support. Just meeting people shouldn’t have to cost anyone anything. Generally speaking, males are quick to see the fiscal advantage of 50/50 and so, support it.
* Remember that this is only about meeting people. How you choose to continue and arrange payment after meeting is up to the parties concerned.
So is going 50/50 paying homage to gender equity?
Yes. We believe by equalling up ‘payment’ that gender equity leads to gender equality. But what is gender equity? Gender equity is the basis on which access to opportunities to achieve better health, education and economic outcomes are eked out regardless of gender.
Gender equity starts at home
Assign chores to children at home regardless of gender. Teach them domestic responsibility so they can take care of their own homes as adults. Boys might learn cooking and girls might learn how to change a tap washer. Assigning roles based
purely on gender can be discriminatory.
How the 50/50 Basis is Changing the Way We Meet
Once pay parity is achieved, (some developed nations are still lagging on this) should all parties not have to pay for what they’ve consumed? Meeting on a 50/50 basis seems like a much fairer system:
paying a bill is not gender based, everyone knows that they must pay for themselves. In tough economic times, this makes ‘meeting people’ affordable for everyone.
going 50/50 keeps people safe, because no (sexual) obligation is assigned to anyone. (When someone pays for someone else they may expect something in return).
No confusion about who pays if you’re meeting as a group
It’s a casual, informal way of meeting an individual or a group that enables meeting your online friends in-person in the real-world.
As this is a much fairer system it seems to be changing the way people meet.
The 5050 Protocol at 5050
At 5050 cafe friends, how we’re making ‘equality a reality’ is by asking everyone who joins our platform to agree with the 5050 Protocol. It’s pretty simple, so here it is:
UNICEF says gender equality “means that women, men, girls and boys should enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protections. It does not require that girls and boys or women and men, be the same, or that they be treated exactly alike.”
The 5050 Protocol that pertains to the 5050 cafe friends platform, where (we believe) gender equity (paying for your own beverage) sets the foundation for the possibility of an enduring relationship founded on mutual respect and gender equality which is about ‘being equal’ but not about being the same – is about having the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities available to everyone regardless of whether born male, female or non-binary.
But how does ‘5050’ (50/50) actually work?
People understand that they are meeting ‘friends’. It’s mates not dates. So there is nothing implied. When people sign up to the website as a Friend, they must check the tick box that says:
‘I agree with the 5050 Protocol’ which is exactly as it is described above. When people agree with the 5050 Protocol, it brings about an awareness of equality and the understanding that everyone must be open to meeting on a 50/50 basis.
Remember that meeting people from being online, is slightly different to meeting someone in-person in a club or pub, that’s because when you meet people through work or via an interest group, you are already meeting them in person. But when you meet people from online then meeting them becomes the sole reason for going out and actually ‘meeting them’ so there is a little more pressure…however, if you opt for meeting people in a group setting on a casual basis in a setting like a cafe – and you are meeting people from your area with a view to friendship and getting to know people, then you are diluting what is normally a pressured situation.
Meeting people from your area is so cool…it’s like being 10 again!
Remember when you were a little kid and all the friends you had came from your area? And all of those friendships lasted until, well, until they moved out of the area.
Well, the good news is that, it can happen again. You can start meeting people from your area and know that you can either walk to their house or get on your bicycle and go over to theirs. What a healthy, convenient and wonderful way to catch up with your friends.
Is Proximity the Strongest Predictor of Friendship?
According to SCNARC (Social Cognitive Network Academic Research Center) the closer you live to another person, the more likely you are to be friends with them.
Social media would tell us differently – that online friends should suffice, but social media is not a particularly good place for friend creation, as people who use social media tend to create ‘long distance’ friendships which makes it nigh on impossible to meet in person.
Where you live seems to matter greatly as to the friends you make and if friends are a predictor of happiness, then at least we know our ‘happy place.’ It’s right where you are.