The phrase “politically correct” as defined by Merriam-Webster means “conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities should be eliminated.” In today’s harsh sociopolitical climate in which people of multiple personal identities have come to the forefront for representation, critics of political correctness contend that it is a description for liberal and left-leaning politics, often ignorant of moral codes, norms and values that have become part of society. Commentators on the political left argue that their right counterparts criticize political correctness to divert away from blatantly discriminatory, oppressive behaviors toward disadvantaged groups. Many publications and news outlets have come to speak on political correctness, giving it a lot of attention lately and associating it with censorship, ignorance and as a pejorative, in addition to popular culture making it comedic fodder in movies, statues and mascots.
The term “politically correct” and the notion of political correctness dates back to 1793 when it appeared in a United States Supreme Court decision about the limits of the federal government’s jurisdiction (Chow, 2016). To enforce and believe in political correctness does not mean to be hypersensitive or cowardice; it means to address American issues of inequity and inequality across racial, gendered, sexual and religious lines. The phrase as it is known today got its meaning in the 1960s in the midst of the Black Power and Civil Rights Movement when people used it to describe those that stepped out of the political orthodoxy and ideology of the movement. Then in the early 1990s, it was co-opted by political conservatives (Chow, 2016). As Ruth Perry, professor of literature at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology writes, the attack on political correctness represents an attack “on the theory of practice at affirmative action… defined as the recruitment to an institution of students and faculty” who do not fall into the “norm” of academic populations: the heterosexual, white, middle-class male. Political correctness that does not ignore the plight of disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, however, is not a bad thing. Today, it has been weaponized by people in a position of privilege to silence those marginalized voices, but it is necessary in order to combat “uncomfortable criticism.” It is easy to do so; it is common to want to ignore the realities of discrimination, especially when they do not affect that individual. Avoiding that discomfort, though, as only “political correctness” is a way of protecting (even implicitly) the institutions and systems that allow those discrepancies and discriminations to occur. In the context of this current administration, President Donald Trump has denounced and condemned political correctness time and again, and while the term has had a variety of definitions, it is not an antithesis of free choice or free speech. It is very clear now that words have meanings and the words people choose to use have an impact, especially when the person speaking has such a large platform—possibly even nationally. Words have shown that when they are related to marginalized people and identities, they have consequences. The challenges presented by calling out biases and discrimination on account of sex, gender, race, age, religion, nationality, etc. have become a totem of ideology in today’s sociopolitical climate. Even framed by extreme outrage both online and offline, making such comments in a hyper-visible space like the world as it is now bringing attention to these issues and rightfully so. Critics of political correctness also speak of “the good old days,” days which often seem to be characterized by the ability to be offensive, rude or discriminatory without reproach. However, as identities come to the surface and become part of the grand scheme of who individuals are, these days are—and must be—long gone. There is a difference, Amanda Taub asserts for Vox, between “tone policing” and pointing out real issues. Calling out police brutality, issues about women’s’ safety, and matters of gender and sexual discrimination and violence is necessary, as certain groups within these issues are on the fringes of the society much of the time as the “other” and they are and should be able to make demands for their inclusion in this world. Discrimination, violence and safety are real matters that affect individual’s lives and in extreme cases, it can bring lives to an end. Writing them off as mere disputes which come from people in privileged positions of society makes them harder to address. Society generally struggles to consider the problems that affect people on account of race, gender, sex, class and more because to expose the hard truths is harrowing; it means confronting the negative parts that go hidden and ignored to appease the mind. It rejects the reality that discrimination and its effects have value and addressing those problems with awareness, knowledge and solutions is valuable. Criticism of political correctness betrays individuals that are affected by marginalization and sometimes, it can come at the expense of their lives.
Political correctness is good. It is a weapon of political discourse in a war against discrimination based on identities that exist on the fringes of society. To confront their realities is necessary and valid and not a matter of eschewing “the good old days.” To call out discrimination is not replacing prejudices or overemphasizing multiculturalism. The meaning of it has shifted to the left side of the political spectrum as a pejorative term, but the way to deal with the harsh realities of life is to have those hard conversation and not continue to marginalize those that are requesting protection and a recognition of their humanity.
- Chow, Kat. “’Politically Correct’: The Phrase Has Gone From Wisdom To Weapon.” NPR, NPR, 15 Dec. 2016, www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/12/14/505324427/politically-correct-the-phrase-has-gone-from-wisdom-to-weapon.
- Kilgore, Ed. “’Political Incorrectness’ Is Just ‘Political Correctness’ for Conservatives.” Daily Intelligencer, 17 July 2018, nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/anti-pc-is-political-correctness-for-the-right.html.
- Taub, Amanda. “The Truth about ‘Political Correctness’ Is That It Doesn’t Actually Exist.” Vox, Vox, 28 Jan. 2015, www.vox.com/2015/1/28/7930845/political-correctness-doesnt-exist.
