Political Correctness

[Quicksilver]

Why does political correctness use the word "political"? What have politics got to do with it?

[Lillabet]

The term seems to have been coined to disparage groups who usually had a political agenda and were overtly political when they asked for terminology to be changed so as to avoid offending people or marginalising people. These included feminist and anti racist groups who are usually associated with being on the left wing of the political spectrum.

Terminology is seem to be subtle but important by those who believe the theories usually termed interractionist in sociological debate.

There were a number of unsubstantiated stories that this wasn't something that was always done sensibly - stories about baa baa black sheep being banned for being racist being just one example.

Currently the phrase seems to be used to imply that anyone disagreeing with a statement they find to be offensive is not actually in disagreement but instead is shallowly paying lip service to being nice when really secretly agreeing with the original view. Yesterday on a debate about the murder in Reading one poster opined that to keep all white girls safe all we had to do was not let them near any black men. When I disagreed and told him I found his view offensive and that I had reported it (only time I've reported a post for being offensive) he then accused me of simply being politically correct and not really finding his views offensive. This moved on to a number of posts critiqueing my gender, supposed sexuality, supposed political allegiances and intelligence.

To this poster political correctness is something used by those he percieved as politically left wing to pretend that they have no prejudices. As such it is part of the politics of the left. Needless to say I disagree with him.

[Quicksilver]

Nice answer, Lillabet. Thank-you.