The excesses of political correctness have been often ridiculed by both conservative and liberal media (and rightfully so, I might add). It is quite obvious that the phrase vertically challenged is not an inspired euphemism to describe a short person. It is equally evident that extreme cases of PC enforcement are not a thing of the past. According to a MailOnLine article, in January 2017, "the British Medical Association advised members that mothers-to-be should be referred to as "pregnant people" to avoid offense and "celebrate diversity". Let that sink in. And think of the very concept of cultural appropriation. Does it really make any sense at all? At the very least, it is highly controversial. It is unquestionable that we should show respect for other cultures but where does one draw the line? If we should decide that white people ought not to wear dreadlocks (because dreads are supposed to belong exclusively to black people) then... Asians should not be allowed to play the Ode to Joy. Seriously?
The problem is, of course, that many far-right sympathizers are known to have used those "abuses" in order to resist change and deride what I deem to be admirable objectives: inclusiveness, respect for minorities, etc. Why am I harping on about diversity and political correctness? Well, because showing respect for other races and minorities goes hand in hand with our attitude towards other genders. Just remember that a language becomes more respectful when its speakers are more sensitive to certain issues, which is why gender-neutral language has effectively become the norm. In this day and age, speaking in a different manner is simply laughable.
My advise is, therefore, rather simple: steer clear of obviously sexist vocabulary (to man up, male nurse) and dated attitudes (e.g. to assume that only women are sensitive); fight social marking (the words butcher, judge and astronaut are gender-neutral) and remember that trying too hard to avoid sexism can be quite ludicrous (it's every man or woman for himself or herself!).
All in all, right now, the truly challenging questions may revolve around not language usage but rather the semantics regarding certain concepts. What is, in 2019, "a feminine perspective"? How are we supposed to define "masculinity"? What does a woman mean when she says she feels "very feminine"? Is it okay to say "act like a man"? And, if so, what does it mean? Food for thought, right? An equally stimulating debate might consist in questioning the very need for binary labels (man/woman, Mr./Ms.) but that, in the words of Michael Ende, "is another story and shall be told another time".
No comments:
Post a Comment