Debate Now Why Is Being "Politically Correct" A Bad Thing To Some People?

[Foxfyre]

I guess it's just one way we differ Foxfyre. If someone went out of their way to explain to me why something is or isn't offensive I would try and accomodate them rather than say or do something deliberately hurtful.

So how am I different from you that way? Because I treat you like I treat everybody else? You don't do that? I do my damndest to not be deliberately hurtful to anybody. But if to never offend or hurt somebody means I have to be who or what somebody else demands I be, that's asking way too much.

 

[Dhara]

Well, I may be wrong, but I got the impression after I told you why an LGBT might not want to have a wife referred to as a partner that you weren't going to change that behavior with others.

Confused?

It's not a demand. PC is NOT about making demands. It's about being culturally sensitive and letting groups that are formerly oppressed self-empower.

Of course, you wouldn't be expected to do something totally out of your own comfort zone.

 

[Foxfyre]

But the point, Dhara, is who am I to tell you what is or is not respectful? For me it is respectful to treat skin color, for instance, as of no more consequence or importance than hair color or eye color. So if I use the same terms or phrases around my black friends and Hispanic friends as I do my white friends, I am treating all as equals and not seeing them as different or some kind of protected class that we have to be really sensitive to or careful with. You know you are my equal and my friend when I am comfortable treating you exactly as I treat everybody else, and I know you are my equal and my friend when you allow me to be who I am without fear you're going to go off the rails if I same something that isn't politically correct.

I don't think it's really a question of someone "going off the rails", but would it bother you if someone merely stated their preference for how they prefer to be addressed? Surely you don't object to beingculturally sensitive?

Say you refer to my mate as "my partner" and I correct you that I call her "my wife".

I wouldn't correct you if you referred to my husband as my partner or my significant other or whatever non insulting term you use. I pretty much allow people to be who they are and speaking in the language they use unless they are being boorishly or intentionally offensive.

But of course I would respect your wishes as to what your wanted your wife to be called. But I would not feel constrained to not use the term 'partner' ever again anywhere. The guys next door when asked about their status refer to each other as partners. And so sometimes do the unmarried heterosexual couple across the street. Each to their own. Live and let live. And don't force everybody to live in the same box.

That's why we're different. I would WANT you to correct me if I presumed you weren't married. I don't find corrections like that offensive. There are good reasons why married LGBT may not want to use the term "partner". Either it means "sexual partner" which limits the relationship or "business partner" which an intimate marriage is more than business.

And I treat people who consider themselves in the LGBT community exactly like I treat everybody else and I use the same non offensive (to me) language with them as I use with everybody else. That's how I show respect, by not considering one group of friends to be different or separate from another and not assuming that I need to walk on eggs and carefully measure every word around grown up, intelligent people. And the PC police hate me too.

So, you would not show me and other married LGBT respect? Why not?

Did I say that? IMO that is a totally uncalled for response to what I said.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well, I may be wrong, but I got the impression after I told you why an LGBT might not want to have a wife referred to as a partner that you weren't going to change that behavior with others.

Confused?

It's not a demand. PC is NOT about making demands. It's about being culturally sensitive and letting groups that are formerly oppressed self-empower.

Of course, you wouldn't be expected to do something totally out of your own comfort zone.

My next door neighbors are gay, great guys, and good friends and neighbors. I don't have to walk on eggs around them to avoid offending them and I appreciate that a lot. They are married and they refer to each other as partners. Who am I or who are you to say they have to use another word? I sometimes refer to my husband as my 'best friend' or 'my partner' or 'hubby' or 'husband' or 'significant other' or 'the guy I sleep with.' Who is to say what is the acceptable term to use?

If you consider any other word than 'wife' unacceptable for your mate, I can't do anything about that. If I think about it, I would try to accommodate you but frankly I don't see it as that big a deal myself. And I would feel like I had to walk on eggs around you instead of feeling like you accept me for who and what I am and we can both relax and live and let live.

 

[Dhara]

I don't think it's really a question of someone "going off the rails", but would it bother you if someone merely stated their preference for how they prefer to be addressed? Surely you don't object to beingculturally sensitive?

Say you refer to my mate as "my partner" and I correct you that I call her "my wife".

I wouldn't correct you if you referred to my husband as my partner or my significant other or whatever non insulting term you use. I pretty much allow people to be who they are and speaking in the language they use unless they are being boorishly or intentionally offensive.

But of course I would respect your wishes as to what your wanted your wife to be called. But I would not feel constrained to not use the term 'partner' ever again anywhere. The guys next door when asked about their status refer to each other as partners. And so sometimes do the unmarried heterosexual couple across the street. Each to their own. Live and let live. And don't force everybody to live in the same box.

That's why we're different. I would WANT you to correct me if I presumed you weren't married. I don't find corrections like that offensive. There are good reasons why married LGBT may not want to use the term "partner". Either it means "sexual partner" which limits the relationship or "business partner" which an intimate marriage is more than business.

And I treat people who consider themselves in the LGBT community exactly like I treat everybody else and I use the same non offensive (to me) language with them as I use with everybody else. That's how I show respect, by not considering one group of friends to be different or separate from another and not assuming that I need to walk on eggs and carefully measure every word around grown up, intelligent people. And the PC police hate me too.

So, you would not show me and other married LGBT respect? Why not?

Did I say that? IMO that is a totally uncalled for response to what I said.

I said I am confused.

Here is the sentence that threw me: "I would not feel constrained to not use the term 'partner' ever again anywhere."

So, if you encountered any other married LGBT person you would still use the term, "partner" with them?

Help me out here.

 

[Dhara]

Well, I may be wrong, but I got the impression after I told you why an LGBT might not want to have a wife referred to as a partner that you weren't going to change that behavior with others.

Confused?

It's not a demand. PC is NOT about making demands. It's about being culturally sensitive and letting groups that are formerly oppressed self-empower.

Of course, you wouldn't be expected to do something totally out of your own comfort zone.

My next door neighbors are gay, great guys, and good friends and neighbors. I don't have to walk on eggs around them to avoid offending them and I appreciate that a lot. They are married and they refer to each other as partners. Who am I or who are you to say they have to use another word? I sometimes refer to my husband as my 'best friend' or 'my partner' or 'hubby' or 'husband' or 'significant other' or 'the guy I sleep with.' Who is to say what is the acceptable term to use?

If you consider any other word than 'wife' acceptable for your mate, I can't do anything about that. If I think about it, I would try to accommodate you but frankly I don't see it as that big a deal myself. And I would feel like I had to walk on eggs around you instead of feeling like you accept me for who and what I am.

The fact that I tell you it's a big deal to me and you'd rather use partner is where we've got some awkwardness. Even after I explained to you why it's a big deal to me you still think it's no big deal.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well, I may be wrong, but I got the impression after I told you why an LGBT might not want to have a wife referred to as a partner that you weren't going to change that behavior with others.

Confused?

It's not a demand. PC is NOT about making demands. It's about being culturally sensitive and letting groups that are formerly oppressed self-empower.

Of course, you wouldn't be expected to do something totally out of your own comfort zone.

My next door neighbors are gay, great guys, and good friends and neighbors. I don't have to walk on eggs around them to avoid offending them and I appreciate that a lot. They are married and they refer to each other as partners. Who am I or who are you to say they have to use another word? I sometimes refer to my husband as my 'best friend' or 'my partner' or 'hubby' or 'husband' or 'significant other' or 'the guy I sleep with.' Who is to say what is the acceptable term to use?

If you consider any other word than 'wife' acceptable for your mate, I can't do anything about that. If I think about it, I would try to accommodate you but frankly I don't see it as that big a deal myself. And I would feel like I had to walk on eggs around you instead of feeling like you accept me for who and what I am.

The fact that I tell you it's a big deal to me and you'd rather use partner is where we've got some awkwardness. Even after I explained to you why it's a big deal to me you still think it's no big deal.

I didn't say I would rather say partner. I said that if I say partner, a friend would not take offense or construe it as disrespectful or insensitive or rude or wrong. I would expect a friend to see that as no big deal. If you refer to your mate as 'wife' I most likely would also just because that would be the natural thing to do, but if I did use another non offensive word, I would not expect a friend to jump on me for that. Just as the natural thing to do is to refer to my next door neighbors as partners which is what they do. If I don't know what people call each other, I pick a generic word to use and that should be fine with normal people. Can you understand that?

 

[Dhara]

Well, I may be wrong, but I got the impression after I told you why an LGBT might not want to have a wife referred to as a partner that you weren't going to change that behavior with others.

Confused?

It's not a demand. PC is NOT about making demands. It's about being culturally sensitive and letting groups that are formerly oppressed self-empower.

Of course, you wouldn't be expected to do something totally out of your own comfort zone.

My next door neighbors are gay, great guys, and good friends and neighbors. I don't have to walk on eggs around them to avoid offending them and I appreciate that a lot. They are married and they refer to each other as partners. Who am I or who are you to say they have to use another word? I sometimes refer to my husband as my 'best friend' or 'my partner' or 'hubby' or 'husband' or 'significant other' or 'the guy I sleep with.' Who is to say what is the acceptable term to use?

If you consider any other word than 'wife' acceptable for your mate, I can't do anything about that. If I think about it, I would try to accommodate you but frankly I don't see it as that big a deal myself. And I would feel like I had to walk on eggs around you instead of feeling like you accept me for who and what I am.

The fact that I tell you it's a big deal to me and you'd rather use partner is where we've got some awkwardness. Even after I explained to you why it's a big deal to me you still think it's no big deal.

I didn't say I would rather say partner. I said that if I say partner, a friend would not take offense or construe it as disrespectful or insensitive or rude or wrong. I would expect a friend to see that as no big deal. If you refer to your mate as 'wife' I most likely would also just because that would be the natural thing to do, but if I did use another non offensive word, I would not expect a friend to jump on me for that. Just as the natural thing to do is to refer to my next door neighbors as partners which is what they do. If I don't know what people call each other, I pick a generic word to use and that should be fine with normal people. Can you understand that?

Of course. That's very well explained. Thank you. I "corrected" two people about the title "partner" and it was a good experience all around.

I appreciate you hanging in with me until I more fully understood what you were saying.

Bravo!

 

[320 Years of History]

I wouldn't correct you if you referred to my husband as my partner or my significant other or whatever non insulting term you use even though I refer to him as hubby or my husband. I pretty much allow people to be who they are and speak the language they use unless they are being boorishly or intentionally offensive.

That goes directly the point we discussed earlier. When someone has been open and honest with you, it won't matter what words they use. You'll know quite well whether they meant to offend, meant to castigate, or meant nothing and just used a word that come to their mind.

 

[Dhara]

I wouldn't correct you if you referred to my husband as my partner or my significant other or whatever non insulting term you use even though I refer to him as hubby or my husband. I pretty much allow people to be who they are and speak the language they use unless they are being boorishly or intentionally offensive.

That goes directly the point we discussed earlier. When someone has been open and honest with you, it won't matter what words they use. You'll know quite well whether they meant to offend, meant to castigate, or meant nothing and just used a word that come to their mind.

If that's the case, what is your objection to being culturally sensitive? Why is it a problem for you?

 

[320 Years of History]

I wouldn't correct you if you referred to my husband as my partner or my significant other or whatever non insulting term you use even though I refer to him as hubby or my husband. I pretty much allow people to be who they are and speak the language they use unless they are being boorishly or intentionally offensive.

That goes directly the point we discussed earlier. When someone has been open and honest with you, it won't matter what words they use. You'll know quite well whether they meant to offend, meant to castigate, or meant nothing and just used a word that come to their mind.

If that's the case, what is your objection to being culturally sensitive? Why is it a problem for you?

Whatever has led you to surmise I object to one's being culturally sensitive?

 

[Correll]

I wouldn't correct you if you referred to my husband as my partner or my significant other or whatever non insulting term you use even though I refer to him as hubby or my husband. I pretty much allow people to be who they are and speak the language they use unless they are being boorishly or intentionally offensive.

That goes directly the point we discussed earlier. When someone has been open and honest with you, it won't matter what words they use. You'll know quite well whether they meant to offend, meant to castigate, or meant nothing and just used a word that come to their mind.

If that's the case, what is your objection to being culturally sensitive? Why is it a problem for you?

Whatever has led you to surmise I object to one's being culturally sensitive?

That was a Red Herring.

Lots of liberals pretend that P.C. is something it is not, like "being culturally sensitive".

 

[kaz]

I've seen many times on this board the term "politically correct" being used in derogatory manner. It baffles me to be honest. What is it that would make being politically correct something to frown upon as opposed to a tool to further communication?

Rules:

1. No off topic comments. Please address the question.
2. Be able to prove your position using common sense. No links

You are confusing political correctness with courtesy and respect. Courtesy and respect mean you consider the feelings of other people and groups when you speak.

Political correctness is a hammer to shut down communications, not to "further" them. Leftists declare conversations and points invalid and reject them out of hand, and their reasoning is always self serving to the left