"This is why I find the latest rash of alarmist “political correctness run amok” articles to be quite disingenuous. They express consternation about “word policing” and “censorship” without ever acknowledging that we — as a society, or within certain subcultures or settings — are always making judgments about what language and ideas (not to mention people) are acceptable and which ones are deemed unacceptable.
Once we acknowledge this, it becomes clear that “political correctness” is an inherently biased meme. No one would ever argue that jokes made at the expense of transgender people constitute “political correctness” — even though they clearly express a political viewpoint, one that has historically dominated in our culture. But if I were to complain about that joke — which, lest we not forget, is also an expression of free speech — plenty of people would accuse me (and any supporters I may have) of “political correctness” and “censorship.”
In other words, “political correctness” is merely a pejorative wielded by those who wish to protect the status quo. But of course, the status quo is always evolving. The proverbial line in the sand that determines which words or ideas are acceptable within civil discourse and which ones are deemed to be beyond the pale is constantly shifting over time...
What I find most frustrating about all these articles critiquing “political correctness” is that they obscure more relevant conversations that we should be having and where we may find common ground. Even though I am a trans activist (which some might view as the epitome of “political correctness”), I have written extensively about how policing language can sometimes make spaces less safe, not more. I have chronicled some of the problems associated with identity politics and attempts to simply ban language that some people find demeaning."
http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/08/19/op-ed-truth-about-political-correctness
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