Are there any policially correct (PC) terms you actually agree with?

[PleasantValley]

I am asking the membership if there may be some politically correct (PC) terms you might actually agree with using. I have scores I think are completely foolish and goofy, but there are three I happen to agree with totally. Here they are for your discussion and / or...."disagreement".

1. NOT calling grown women "girls". I learned this early when I first started working in the hospitality industry. Girls are children, and grown-up females are women. Call them otherwise to your peril.

2. Use "they" rather than HE when discussing general individuals. A state inspector was going through my hotel once when i managed it and I had not seen HIM start the inspection, but asked the clerk when did she think HE would be through with it. Down the hall came the inspector and THEY were not a HE, but a SHE. Don't tell me that little screw up of mine did not earn us a few hits on the inspection.
I should have asked the clerk when did THEY say THEY would be done. Much safer and covers all bases.

3. Native American. Technically accurate even if they came over to North America via a land bridge or whatever. They were still here first. To me, that makes them indigenous peoples.

Do you have any you can enlighten us with that seem fine to use in normal conversation with others?
There are others that are so completely wrong I will not list them and no one but politicians and those on TV use. The rest of us don't.

 

[tres borrachos]

I am asking the membership if there may be some politically correct (PC) terms you might actually agree with using. I have scores I think are completely foolish and goofy, but there are three I happen to agree with totally. Here they are for your discussion and / or...."disagreement".

1. NOT calling grown women "girls". I learned this early when I first started working in the hospitality industry. Girls are children, and grown-up females are women. Call them otherwise to your peril.

2. Use "they" rather than HE when discussing general individuals. A state inspector was going through my hotel once when i managed it and I had not seen HIM start the inspection, but asked the clerk when did she think HE would be through with it. Down the hall came the inspector and THEY were not a HE, but a SHE. Don't tell me that little screw up of mine did not earn us a few hits on the inspection.
I should have asked the clerk when did THEY say THEY would be done. Much safer and covers all bases.

3. Native American. Technically accurate even if they came over to North America via a land bridge or whatever. They were still here first. To me, that makes them indigenous peoples.

Do you have any you can enlighten us with that seem fine to use in normal conversation with others?
There are others that are so completely wrong I will not list them and no one but politicians and those on TV use. The rest of us don't.

1. As a woman, I agree with this. Grown women shouldn't be called "girls".

2. I think this actually became common out of laziness and not being PC. People have lazily said "they" when talking about a single person for years. I'm anal retentive so I refuse to post or call a single individual "they". I will say/post things like "he/she" or "himself/herself". When did we lose our handle on proper grammar in this country?

3. I'm okay with NA because it's easier to differentiate between an American Indian and an Indian Indian, especially since we have so many of the second in the country now.

One I don't agree with: African American. Africa is a continent and America (presumably since we're talking US citizens) is a country. I'm sorry, but I will refer to you as a black person if it's appropriate, never an African American.

 

[nota bene]

I am asking the membership if there may be some politically correct (PC) terms you might actually agree with using.

Yes, "other-abled" because this has been my lifelong experience. I do realize that some are profoundly disabled, but not most. My father's medical practice included treating many patients with cerebral palsy, MD, and MS, so my consciousness was raised early. I remember the time I saw a man roll up in his wheelchair to the edge of a pool and hop in and begin swimming. I was agog, and my dad was so blasé as he explained this "duh" to me.

 

[PleasantValley]

Yes, "other-abled" because this has been my lifelong experience. I do realize that some are profoundly disabled, but not most. My father's medical practice included treating many patients with cerebral palsy, MD, and MS, so my consciousness was raised early. I remember the time I saw a man roll up in his wheelchair to the edge of a pool and hop in and begin swimming. I was agog, and my dad was so blasé as he explained this "duh" to me.

I think I will have to add "other-abled" to my list. You are so right.

 

[HonestJoe]

I object to the term Political Correctness. It’s generally just a lazy term attributed to something as the sole reason why we shouldn’t say something (“…because it’s not politically correct”) or the sole reason a rule should be ignored (“… that’s just political correctness”). Whether you have a specific example of how you believe something should be said or a specific example of a rule you don’t believe should apply, you should be able to give specific individual reasoning for that, rendering any generic reference to political correctness unnecessary and meaningless.

 

[TheGoverness]

I am asking the membership if there may be some politically correct (PC) terms you might actually agree with using. I have scores I think are completely foolish and goofy, but there are three I happen to agree with totally. Here they are for your discussion and / or...."disagreement".

1. NOT calling grown women "girls". I learned this early when I first started working in the hospitality industry. Girls are children, and grown-up females are women. Call them otherwise to your peril.

2. Use "they" rather than HE when discussing general individuals. A state inspector was going through my hotel once when i managed it and I had not seen HIM start the inspection, but asked the clerk when did she think HE would be through with it. Down the hall came the inspector and THEY were not a HE, but a SHE. Don't tell me that little screw up of mine did not earn us a few hits on the inspection.
I should have asked the clerk when did THEY say THEY would be done. Much safer and covers all bases.

3. Native American. Technically accurate even if they came over to North America via a land bridge or whatever. They were still here first. To me, that makes them indigenous peoples.

Do you have any you can enlighten us with that seem fine to use in normal conversation with others?
There are others that are so completely wrong I will not list them and no one but politicians and those on TV use. The rest of us don't.

I refer to my trans friends as the gender they identify as.

 

[PleasantValley]

1. As a woman, I agree with this. Grown women shouldn't be called "girls".

2. I think this actually became common out of laziness and not being PC. People have lazily said "they" when talking about a single person for years. I'm anal retentive so I refuse to post or call a single individual "they". I will say/post things like "he/she" or "himself/herself". When did we lose our handle on proper grammar in this country?

3. I'm okay with NA because it's easier to differentiate between an American Indian and an Indian Indian, especially since we have so many of the second in the country now.

One I don't agree with: African American. Africa is a continent and America (presumably since we're talking US citizens) is a country. I'm sorry, but I will refer to you as a black person if it's appropriate, never an African American.

I mentioned THEY only when you do not know the person's gender and ASSume they are male. In that case I only made an ass out of myself. Yes, if you already know their gender, then use it. Unless you are on a PC extensive campus.

I also agree with you about how dumb the "African" hyphen is to use. It is an entire continent, as you said, and full of all kinds of different races native to there. Not just black.

Another I disagree with is "Asian". Asia is HUGE!...and includes much, much, more than just the far east. Are the Russians in Siberia to be considered "Asian" then?

 

[Sweden]

1. As a woman, I agree with this. Grown women shouldn't be called "girls".

2. I think this actually became common out of laziness and not being PC. People have lazily said "they" when talking about a single person for years. I'm anal retentive so I refuse to post or call a single individual "they". I will say/post things like "he/she" or "himself/herself". When did we lose our handle on proper grammar in this country?

3. I'm okay with NA because it's easier to differentiate between an American Indian and an Indian Indian, especially since we have so many of the second in the country now.

One I don't agree with: African American. Africa is a continent and America (presumably since we're talking US citizens) is a country. I'm sorry, but I will refer to you as a black person if it's appropriate, never an African American.

Yes. Only use 'African American' if you habitually say 'European American' for 'white' US citizens.

 

[tres borrachos]

I mentioned THEY only when you do not know the person's gender and ASSume they are male. In that case I only made an ass out of myself. Yes, if you already know their gender, then use it. Unless you are on a PC extensive campus.

I also agree with you about how dumb the "African" hyphen is to use. It is an entire continent, as you said, and full of all kinds of different races native to there. Not just black.

Another I disagree with is "Asian". Asia is HUGE!...and includes much, much, more than just the far east. Are the Russians in Siberia to be considered "Asian" then?

Yes, I should have added Asian American to my complaint list for the same reason. Asia is a continent. It's a stupid hyphen - and I don't like the use of any of these hyphenated terms.

I do agree that a lot of people use "they" now because they fear labelling someone named Bob as a male, because Bob may believe he's a female (which is just an annoying obnoxious new way of talking - I assume Bob is a male and if he isn't, oh well - sorry about that). But sadly that improper use of English started a long time ago by the lazy people.

 

[tres borrachos]

I object to the term Political Correctness. It’s generally just a lazy term attributed to something as the sole reason why we shouldn’t say something (“…because it’s not politically correct”) or the sole reason a rule should be ignored (“… that’s just political correctness”). Whether you have a specific example of how you believe something should be said or a specific example of a rule you don’t believe should apply, you should be able to give specific individual reasoning for that, rendering any generic reference to political correctness unnecessary and meaningless.

I think it's lazy, but I think the OP is also correct - it's common to use PC terms because you're afraid to assume things and there's a fear (by some people) of offending people. It's both, sadly.

 

[Sweden]

I refer to my trans friends as the gender they identify as.

Yes, it is sometimes right to give kindness priority over honesty.

 

[PleasantValley]

I refer to my trans friends as the gender they identify as.

...and this is also being polite and considerate of their feelings.
I know some call themselves "queer" now, but with me, I have always seen that term as being a fight-starter.
Therefore I will never use it. There are much more polite terms to use.

SIDENOTE: I got my hiney reamed by a woman in Philly once by calling her Ma'am. Sorry, darlin', I am from Texas and that is just how we are. No insult intended.
Some folks walk around just looking for something to get offended over.

 

[tres borrachos]

I refer to my trans friends as the gender they identify as.

I have to admit I only know one trans person, who is a very high level person in my organization. She was born a man but identifies as a female. I refer to her as "she".

 

[TheGoverness]

...and this is also being polite and considerate of their feelings.
I know some call themselves "queer" now, but with me, I was always seen that term as being a fight-starter.
Therefore I will never use it. There are much more polite terms to use.

SIDENOTE: I got my hiney reamed by a woman in Philly once by calling her Ma'am. Sorry, darlin', I am from Texas and that is just how we are. No insult intended.
Some folks walk around just looking for something to get offended over.

'Queer' can definitely be condescending and rude, especially if used in the wrong context.

 

[tres borrachos]

...and this is also being polite and considerate of their feelings.
I know some call themselves "queer" now, but with me, I have always seen that term as being a fight-starter.
Therefore I will never use it. There are much more polite terms to use.

SIDENOTE: I got my hiney reamed by a woman in Philly once by calling her Ma'am. Sorry, darlin', I am from Texas and that is just how we are. No insult intended.
Some folks walk around just looking for something to get offended over.

Christonacracker....who the hell would be offended by "Ma'am"? I get called that by men younger than I am when I go to s store or a hotel or whatever. I find it endearing and respectful.

 

[TheGoverness]

I have to admit I only know one trans person, who is a very high level person in my organization. She was born a man but identifies as a female. I refer to her as "she".

And both of my trans friends identify as FTM trans, so I refer to them by male pronouns.

 

[PleasantValley]

'Queer' can definitely be condescending and rude, especially if used in the wrong context.

especially in our area.

 

[tres borrachos]

'Queer' can definitely be condescending and rude, especially if used in the wrong context.

I don't care that some people refer to themselves as "queer". It's not a term I would ever use. When I was young it was an insult. "You queer" to a little kid was like "You retard".

 

[TheGoverness]

Christonacracker....who the hell would be offended by "Ma'am"? I get called that by men younger than I am when I go to s store or a hotel or whatever. I find it endearing and respectful.

I like it when I get called ma'am, too. I almost never do, because people usually just see me as a kid.

 

[TheGoverness]

I don't care that some people refer to themselves as "queer". It's not a term I would ever use. When I was young it was an insult. "You queer" to a little kid was like "You retard".

And it still is used that way, unfortunately.

 

[PleasantValley]

Christonacracker....who the hell would be offended by "Ma'am"? I get called that by men younger than I am when I go to s store or a hotel or whatever. I find it endearing and respectful.

I told her I was never going to stop it, and she was the exception, not the rule.
A minority in your area have also told me they did not like it either.
I figured it was their problem and not mine.
Dang, I miss the seafood up there.

 

[rjay]

I am not all that enamored with the term 'LGBTQ'
It just feels awkward to say and I am always worried I might have left a letter out. ( did I ? )


I think the term non-hetro might work, but I suspect someone will be able to tell my why it won't

 

[tres borrachos]

I told her I was never going to stop it, and she was the exception, not the rule.
A minority in your area have also told me they did not like it either.
I figured it was their problem and not mine.
Dang, I miss the seafood up there.

I wish I liked seafood! My husband and kids adore shellfish and as you can imagine, we have the best of the best of the best up here. I don't think you can get great seafood in Deer Park so I understand. But I can't abide the stuff.

I like reading that you use "Ma'am". My sons do as well. It's the polite and decent thing to do. Don't change! Haters will be haters.

 

[HonestJoe]

I think it's lazy, but I think the OP is also correct - it's common to use PC terms because you're afraid to assume things and there's a fear (by some people) of offending people. It's both, sadly.

I wasn’t questioning the examples the OP gave, only the way those kind of things are lumped together under a singular term that’s them used to either attack or defend them collectively. In reality, each example should be judged on its individual merits (which to be fair, the OP did). There’s no need to connect them at all.

 

[TheGoverness]

I am not all that enamored with the term 'LGBTQ'

I'm LGBT myself, and I just say LGBT. Otherwise it's too many leters and it gets annoying to say more than once.