B) Answer the teacher’s questions

A) Read the text.

Political Correctness and Identity Politics

The debates surrounding political correctness have become increasingly heated over the last few years as British and American universities attempt to take a firmer stand against all forms of discrimination. The rise of identity politics in the West – such as feminism, the civil rights movement, and gay and disability rights movements – has led to greater care being taken with the language used to describe different groups of people. In other words, more consideration is being given to the relationship between potentially offensive language and the continued existence of discrimination.

At its heart, political correctness is simply a form of linguistic etiquette or politeness. It asks us not to use negative words for women or gay people or the disabled, and it questions the function of jokes about such people.

At the same time, some social commentators claim that “the PC brigade” wants to brainwash us into accepting their liberal ideals, to straightjacket thought and to erode the very fabric of our society.

Nevertheless, political correctness has had a major impact on the way we use many everyday words. Whilst many of us may still struggle with gender-neutral job titles such as fire-fighter or flight attendant (instead of fireman and air hostess), we find it easier to address letters to a Ms Leslie, to talk about people who have learning difficulties instead of people being backward or retarded, and to refer to our partners instead of our boyfriends and girlfriends.

Another example of political correctness is the changing terminology used to describe handicapped people. In the past the term crippled was perfectly acceptable and not considered offensive. At some point, the term changed to handicapped – disabled – differently abled / physically challenged. The same can be said for the changing uses of terms for Black Americans: Negro and colored were declared offensive by some activists during the 1970s and Black came into use, which in turn gave way to Afro-American and African-American, and in broader usage, people of color.