In the Scandinavian countries which have achieved the highest levels of equality of opportunity for women and men in the world, the percentage of female STEM graduates is lower than in other countries which are significantly behind in achieving equality of opportunity. (ScienceDaily)
"Countries such as Albania and Algeria have a greater percentage of women amongst their STEM graduates than countries lauded for their high levels of gender equality, such as Finland, Norway or Sweden."
Is it reasonable to assume that achieving perfect equality of opportunity will result in equality of outcome? In other words, if the only factor which would determine the percentage of female STEM graduates (or business owners, or CEOs, or politicians) were gender, should we expect to see exactly 50% of STEM graduates be female?
One must make one significant concession if one is to to adopt this idea. One must ignore that there may exist inherent differences between men and women. Remember, the argument assumes that gender is the only factor determining the difference. Therefore, any inherent differences would result in a divergence from equal outcomes.
If one refuses to concede that there are no inherent differences, then it becomes unreasonable to assume that equality of opportunity will result in equality of outcome. In fact, one may further conclude that the only way equality of outcome could be achieved would be to manipulate the personal desires of individuals, to overcome whatever inherent differences exist.
Interestingly, a manipulation of desires to achieve greater equality of outcome has been tried. In the same Scandinavian countries where equality of opportunity has been achieved to a greater degree than anywhere else in the world, "despite extensive efforts to increase participation of women in STEM, levels have remained broadly stable for decades." (ScienceDaily)
Where equality of opportunity has been achieved, even with an attempt to manipulate individuals' desires, equality of outcome has not occurred. It is unreasonable to make the case that this is only because there is 'obviously still work to be done'. No, the Scandinavian countries have gone to "extensive efforts" to see greater equality of outcome, and it has not occurred.
It is not reasonable to assume that equality of opportunity will lead to equality of outcome, and the Scandinavian countries have helped to affirm this conclusion.
This conclusion should inform how we judge the success of attempts to create equality in business and society. The measures to be used should not be the percentage of female STEM graduates (or business owners, or CEOs, or politicians) or the number of female hires. Such measures evaluate outcome.
Focus should instead be given to respecting and affirming the differences between men and women. An environment in which differences between men and women are respected and affirmed leads to equality of opportunity, and, if Scandinavia is any predictor, will not result in equality of outcome.
Much development in this area can be accomplished through healthy families, where servant leadership, mutual respect, and affirmation of differences are modelled in the loving and committed relationships between man and woman, husband and wife, father and mother, brother and sister.
Jordan Peterson provides engaging elaboration of these ideas in his interview with Channel 4 News. For a theological overview of the social justice movement, including a more robust discussion of equality, see Voddie Baucham, "Biblical Justice vs. Social Justice".