def _equality_check(op):
        """
        Shared code for __eq__ and __ne__, parameterized on the actual
        comparison operator to use.
        """
        def method(self, other):

            if isinstance(other, LabelArray):
                self_mv = self.missing_value
                other_mv = other.missing_value
                if self_mv != other_mv:
                    raise MissingValueMismatch(self_mv, other_mv)

                self_categories = self.categories
                other_categories = other.categories
                if not compare_arrays(self_categories, other_categories):
                    raise CategoryMismatch(self_categories, other_categories)

                return (
                    op(self.as_int_array(), other.as_int_array())
                    & self.not_missing()
                    & other.not_missing()
                )

            elif isinstance(other, ndarray):
                # Compare to ndarrays as though we were an array of strings.
                # This is fairly expensive, and should generally be avoided.
                return op(self.as_string_array(), other) & self.not_missing()

            elif isinstance(other, self.SUPPORTED_SCALAR_TYPES):
                i = self._reverse_categories.get(other, -1)
                return op(self.as_int_array(), i) & self.not_missing()

            return op(super(LabelArray, self), other)
        return method