sabotage equality

[sæb-ə-tahzh ee-KWOL-ə-tee]
noun phrase / verb phrase
sabotar a igualdade / sabotagem da igualdade
1. The act of deliberately undermining, obstructing, or destroying efforts to achieve equal rights, opportunities, or treatment among individuals or groups
The company was accused of sabotaging equality by paying women less than men for the same work.
A empresa foi acusada de sabotar a igualdade ao pagar às mulheres menos que aos homens pelo mesmo trabalho.
2. Intentional actions that prevent the implementation or success of equal opportunity initiatives or anti-discrimination policies
Critics argued that the policy changes were a deliberate sabotage of equality in the workplace.
Críticos argumentaram que as mudanças de política eram uma sabotagem deliberada da igualdade no local de trabalho.
This phrase is commonly used in discussions about social justice, workplace discrimination, and civil rights in both American and Brazilian contexts. In Brazil, it frequently appears in debates about racial equity (igualdade racial) and gender equality (igualdade de gênero). The term carries strong political and social connotations, often used in activist discourse and policy debates.
NYC Slang
playing the system / rigging the game / stacking the deck against
Synonyms / Sinônimos
undermine equalityobstruct equal opportunitythwart fairnesssubvert justicecompromise parity
Antonyms / Antônimos
promote equalityadvance fairnesssupport equal opportunityfoster justiceenable parity

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
sabotar a igualdade / sabotagem da igualdade
Standard usage in formal and informal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
sabotar a igualdade / fuder com a igualdade
More colloquial variant in informal speech
São Paulo
sabotar a igualdade
Used in business and corporate contexts discussing workplace issues
Portugal
sabotar a igualdade / sabotagem da igualdade
Standard European Portuguese usage, similar to Brazilian Portuguese

Related Words

discriminationinequitysabotageequalityobstructionbiasprejudiceinjustice

Related Idioms & Phrases

pull the rug out from under someone
throw a wrench in the works
undercut someone
stack the deck
rig the game
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