What does "offended" mean?

[CurlewKate]

I'm interested in what people mean by the word offended. In my experience it seems to be a word that's used about other people. For example, I might say I don't like something I consider sexist or racist, and there will always be replies about "being offended on behalf or other people" or being "professionally offended" or " looking for things to be offended by." I don't think I have ever said I was "offended" by something. So is it only said by the professionally unoffended?

@Haywirecity

I remember when it was a thing, it might still be, not to use the word Chirtmas cake or hot cross buns because it would offend Muslims. No, it didn't. It was just a load of old tosh that tried to sow division.

Was it ever a 'thing'? I can understand people being upset or frustrated if schools (for example) only mark Christian festivals. I don't know if anyone, ever, has been offended by people discussing Christmas, hot cross buns (or Easter eggs for that matter, which my Muslim colleague buys for his kids, himself, and his wife). I've never heard of anyone seriously suggesting that people must not discuss these things for fear of 'offending Muslims'.

Yep, back in the mid 2000s, schools and institutions banned hot criss buns in case they gave offence. In supermarkets Christmas Cakes and, Christmas logs, etc, had the word christmas removed. Eventually, it dtopped as it was realised that Muslims didn't care and now you see Christmas written on the side of foods.
I remember it clearly because I was teaching refugees and had a lot of muslims in my class and none of what was being written bore any resemblance to the people I knew - who were always up for a party and trying traditional food. (We'll draw a veil over their feelings about mince pies. Lol. ) When people used to comment about reports in the paper, I used to correct them because it was beyond ridiculous.

@Haywirecity They really didn't do any of those things. I promise you they didn't. The Daily Mail might have told you they did, but they didn't.

Yes. I call the Mail the Völkischer Beobachter or VB for short. 'Woke virtue-signallers want to ban Christmas'. Sometimes I think, rather, that the Mail is the Stürmer of our age, when I look at some of their reporting. Mind you, that Rowson cartoon in the Guardian recently would have been happily accepted by Streicher.

Er yes, they really did. I worked in schools and colleges and I shop in supermarkets. And, yes, they really did.

No one wanted to ban christmas! 🙄 Even Oliver Cromwell didn't totally ban it.

Supermarkets didn't want to put Christmas on typical Christmas food because they thought it would put non Christians off buying it. It lasted about 2 years then Christmas reappeared when they realised it made no difference to their sales.

There's no shame you not knowing that but please don't tell me that it didnt happen when I actually know it did.

Effective, sorry! My screen is cracked 😆