There is a specific difference between insulting someone intentionally and using phrases that may, in some cases, be insulting to a group of people for a non-justified reason. 

Political correctness is a phrase common society has thrown out about issues that should not concern people who are getting offended by them. For instance, saying the word “black” in reference to an African-American is offensive to white people in a higher proximity than it is to people who are actually black. Those who are African American in most cases would rather be called “black” because being a natural born citizen of the United States makes you “black” rather than African-American.

But then those same people who have no issue using the unnecessary phrase of “African-American”  have no shame outing people who seem homosexual based on stereotypes rather than facts.

So then what does politically correct even mean? Really, it is just another barrier to an already extremely complicated communication. If one has to think of everything they are going to communicate before they say it, making sure that no minority is offended in the process, the only thing one gains is the approval of close-minded people who likely couldn’t care less about the information that is trying to be communicated. Offending one person in a group of 100 while attempting to get a point across shouldn’t matter. That one person should in return understand that pleasing every person in a group of people is virtually impossible.

The solution to this problem? Teach children from a young age that your skin color or your sexuality or gender that you are born with doesn’t define you as a person. Your character and what you choose to do with it defines you.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Gabby Perelmuter at [email protected].

Read – Gillian Paxton: Political correctness creates productive communication.