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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sick of having to be Politically Correct over nearly everything

585 replies

SickofThisCountry · 04/04/2013 01:47

Dont want to cause some big debate but is anyone else on here getting sick to the back teeth of having to watch their p's and q's through fear of offending every tom, dick and harry.

OP posts:
Pandemoniaa · 04/04/2013 11:43

Dont want to cause some big debate

I fear that your politically incorrect pants were already smouldering when you typed that.

happybubblebrain · 04/04/2013 11:44

Britain has a reputation for its people being polite but not actually giving a crap about each other. Obviously that's a generalisation because some people do care, but why bother pretending to be nice if they're not? I think it would be better if people were just honest about who they are.

EyePad · 04/04/2013 11:44

and saying the woman was óld'is ageist surely.

Best just say I was talking to someone, but I am sorry I am unable to finish because it may offend. Grin Because whichever way you cut the mustard, something will be wrong Grin black, woman, old, little

tethersend · 04/04/2013 11:51

Knowing words are offensive is helpful- you can then choose whether or not to use them, knowing what this may say about you.

We can all assess the risk of saying certain words and use only the ones which we feel ok with. As society changes, language reflects this and, for example, fewer people wish to be thought of as racist than two generations ago.

This is how language works, and is not the same as banning words.

Lottashakingoinon · 04/04/2013 11:54

I think it would be better if people were just honest about who they are.

Bubble

I am all in favour of honesty and integrity as concepts (mostly Grin) but ffs, surely there should be laws (and there are) to stop people giving free rein to their fuck witted bigotry more unacceptable traits.

TiggyD · 04/04/2013 11:56

"Sick of having to be Politically Correct over nearly everything"

is the new

"I'm not racist, but..."

Feminine · 04/04/2013 11:58

I have no idea why "cunt" is so popular on MN? Confused

I very rarely hear it IRL.

Its not cool at all.

Pagwatch · 04/04/2013 12:05

Apparently cupcakes are not cool either. I don't really care though.

Feminine · 04/04/2013 12:06

cupcakes? pag

Andro · 04/04/2013 12:06

tethersend

I spent some time working for a company who did the following:

Banned black pens in case the colour descriptive caused offence
Insisted that all gender/marital status titles (Mr/Mrs/etc) were dropped and all internal communications were addressed in the form + .
Banned even the mention of Christmas in case it caused offence
Insisted that everyone wear boots with toe caps (the office staff loved that one!)
Weighed handbags/briefcases (on a spot check basis) and if they were in excess of 2.5kg insisted the person took a 'lifting safely' course.

Those a few of the more amusing examples. The company was taken over several years ago, the new management rapidly brought some common sense to proceedings.

abbscrosswoman · 04/04/2013 12:08

Feminine please keep to the point ! Wink

tethersend · 04/04/2013 12:09

How interesting. Can you name the company?

Feminine · 04/04/2013 12:11

Sorry abb just made me think... :)

Andro · 04/04/2013 12:12

tethersend - not a good idea, it would make me too identifiable.

EauRouge · 04/04/2013 12:12

^Insisted that everyone wear boots with toe caps (the office staff loved that one!)
Weighed handbags/briefcases (on a spot check basis) and if they were in excess of 2.5kg insisted the person took a 'lifting safely' course.^

This is health and safety, not political correctness.

I bet the other things were brought in by someone that doesn't understand what political correctness really is.

Pagwatch · 04/04/2013 12:13

Sorry feminine Smile

There is a thread saying cupcakes are over. I am clearly so incensed I am having a thread crossover moment.

Machli · 04/04/2013 12:17

Answering the OP only. No I like to have to think about what I say and make myself aware of changing social norms.

I'd hate to be considered limited and/or inadvertently hurt or offend those around me.

MrsDeVere · 04/04/2013 12:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tethersend · 04/04/2013 12:17

Where do we stand on cake pops, Pag?

The spherical little cunts.

Feminine · 04/04/2013 12:17

This is dreadful news pag I've recently been cheered up by finding buttermilk in the UK!

I had a really great recipe for cup-cakes using it! Grin

Feminine · 04/04/2013 12:19

tethers Angry Grin

EauRouge · 04/04/2013 12:19

Haven't seen anyone post this yet-

.
Pagwatch · 04/04/2013 12:21
Grin

Ooooh - feminine. I have always liked you.

Dear god Tethers - I haven't had a cake pop. I have only just discovered macaroon. I am hopelessly dated with cunting baking.

GetOeuf · 04/04/2013 12:25

I think lots of people when called on saying something offensive get incdibly self righteous as they hate being criticised, so come out with the tiresome 'pc gorm mad' shite.

What's wrong with someone pointing out that wha you have said is offensive? Isn't it better to have it pointed out on order to prevent you blunderbussing through life offending and upsetting people?

And old boss years ago took me aside and asked me to stop saying the word cretin. His daughter was born with hypothyroidism, which years ago was called cretinism. I had no idea it was a disablist insult, I just thought it was a Blackadder type insult.

Anyway I stopped using the word. I didn't get arsey and think it was some kind of PC nonsense and carry on using the word.

Andro · 04/04/2013 12:32

EauRouge - I know that it was H&S, the examples were given based on my previous post (PC gone too far/H&S gone too far correlation and my opinion that taking these things so far as to turn them into a bad joke (as this company did) just discredits the perfectly reasonable basis both have.