Evanston is liberal, and aspires to be forward-thinking and politically correct. By being politically correct, we discourage the creation of stereotypes, exclusion, and marginalization of socially oppressed groups (races, cultures, people with handicaps). Still, it seems like people are getting less tolerant about politically correct language, claiming that it is running rampant due to the community’s hypersensitivity. In reality, there is no such thing as being too politically correct.
Trigger warnings are a form of political correctness towards people affected by mental illness and severe anxiety. In Urban Dictionary’s words, trigger warnings “warn weak minded people who are easily offended that they might find what is being posted offensive.” In reality, trigger warnings reduce Post Traumatic Stress Disorder relapses by warning about potentially upsetting topics (domestic abuse in The Great Gatsby, homicide in Game of Thrones).
Urban Dictionary contributors complain that they’re annoying. Admittedly, warnings target a small audience, but they pose no inconvenience to everyone else; they are words to skim over. We skim constantly (AP exams, SAT/ACT tests, that book report assigned at the beginning of the semester you didn’t get around to until this morning). This form of political correctness is harmless.
Some disagree. Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt’s present the argument for exposure therapy instead of trigger warnings in the September issue of The Atlantic Magazine, recommending exposure to what is feared to increase familiarity and thereby decrease negative effects. While there is value in telling people to grow a thicker skin, who has the right to tell those with PTSD, depression, and anxiety how to deal with mental illness? There’s no point in signing off trigger warnings for good.
Political correctness is also found in reclaiming derogatory terms. Groups respectively reclaiming the N-word, S-word, Q-word, ABC-word (probably), to reverse their effects have taken a lot of negativity out of the picture entirely. Words formerly used as insults are simply invalidated. Urban Dictionary contributor-types would claim that words shouldn’t hurt anyone in the first place, so people should not tailor their language. But whether or not words should hurt people is irrelevant, if the words are hateful. Reclamation empowers communities and
strengthens people. Again, there is no downside.
Political correctness can be subtle. Sesame Street has recently announced their debut of a new character with autism. By exhibiting autism on the show, younger kids are able to better connect with those affected by it. This representation is not only politically correct, but simply essential to basic understanding between different people.
Generally speaking, understanding and political correctness are pretty much the same thing, so there is no such thing as being too politically correct. But there is such a thing as simply being rude. Political correctness turns into rudeness when it puts more thought into spite than progress (alleged feminists who hate men, for example).
In reality, people are annoyed with political correctness due to nothing more than the fact it’s inconvenient to them. There’s nothing wrong with being politically correct, letting the oppressed dictate what is offensive, and treating everyone with the respect they deserve. Political correctness isn’t just necessary because it makes less people upset, it’s just the right thing to do.