People have disabilities, we all know that however do you feel people feel offended when you use certain words. For example I cant say 'brainstorm' anymore as a term for a spider diagram, I have to say 'Mind Map' etc in order to not offend someone with epilepsy however, will they think 'brainstorm I find that offensive when it is in know way related in context to the problem that people epilepsy have.

Even more silly than this the government consider renaming the play 'snow white and the seven dwarfs' to 'Snow White and the 7 vertically challenged men. Do they find the word 'Dwarf' offensive. I have talked to ne and he said 'thats just what we're called its been that way for centuries and they didn't find it offensive then and still not now'

what are your views?

It's getting out of hand, you say? But I don't have any hands after my industrial accident. BLASPHEMY!

Yes, it can do, but the biggest problem with political correctness is that it distracts from the very real fact that discrimination is alive and well in our society.

It's like any kind of social movement - whenever there is a need for social change (such as in the heavily discriminatory employment sector of the UK in the early half of this century), societies always act in a very visible and explosive manner, sometimes overreacting. At the same time, however, we still have people in wheelchairs (thinking of my previous employer) being denied job interviews because 'they won't be able to get into the building' - despite the fact that this person was more qualified and capable than both of us interviewing...

Though it probably didn't help that she was a woman. A woman! In a wheelchair? Employers can barely manage one, never mind both.

It is also easy to overlook the fact that language can and does hurt feelings (despite the fact that we're on a forum... ), and when we talk about someone 'being a dwarf' [not quoting smithy500] we often don't realise that we are defining that person by their appearance (saying that someone is a dwarf is very different from describing them as short).

We've become so accustomed to this in many areas ('she's a hotty'), it's easy to just accept this as being normal (whatever the heck that is). Still, I can't help comparing this to elderly relatives saying that 'they get on fine with darkies'.

In case anyone is wondering, I am not disabled in any way. And yes, my background is in linguistics, to my eternal shame.

I think that it's completely ridiculous how political correctness can be, especially at this time.

Just to prevent from unintentionally offending ANYONE, people have to change the way they speak and even interpret things. It's outrageous to think that you can't even use the word "brainstorm" without offending an epileptic person. (Who the heck came up with that?)

I thought OP was going to mention the derogatory use of the word "gay" or "midget" or any other words that you and I know very well are utilized in detrimental manners.

But "brainstorm?"

People need to relax and not have to worry that everyone is out to hate him or her because of what he or she is. It's a serious step-back to be watching our tongues in lieu of simply saying what makes sense at the time. Now, if it was an intentional insult or direct comment towards a person in order to belittle them, that would make sense. But I am not going to change the way that I speak just because someone decides to throw a hissy fit because he or she finds it in the slightest way offensive.

Political correctness should be applied to certain derogatory terms, such as "gay." We all know how common it is nowadays for people to say that something is "gay," how it "sucks," or what-have-you. It's unfortunate that a mass majority of people use the word "gay" and/or "queer" to mention something as of bad taste, which would invite a sensible application of political correctness.

But "brainstorm?" I seriously would laugh if I found someone offended by that.

I agree, we should stop worrying about silly thing like i meantioned and focus on what you said discimination. Obviously if a wheelchair is applying for a job that he actually cant do such a working on a building site ect then within good reason. Sexism is ripe along with racism and we need to concentrate on eradicating important things and not ancient fairy tales.

Hey were told that in school. The teachers and the students all think it's stupid. It's annoying to think that despite the not so much racism, more like cultural ignorance that happens in our school. origionally coming from london and moving to kent there are very few other cultures around and people need to learn about these rather than polically correct spider diagrams

right, now i believe that political correctness is getting completely out of hand. last year, i gathered from what i have heard in the news and on the net, and compiled a lost of the top 10 politically incorrect words and phrases for 2006. please note that this is in especial reference to australia:

1. Macaca – Might have changed the political balance of the US Senate, since George Allen’s (R-VA) utterance (which is an offensive slang term for Indians of the Sub-continent in the West Indies) surely has impacted his election bid.

2. Global Warming Denier – Since there are those who now believe that climate changed has moved from scientific theory to dogma; there are now proposal that ‘global warming deniers’ be treated the same as ‘holocaust deniers:’ professional ostracism, belittlement, ridicule and, even, jail.

3. Herstory for History – ‘Herstory’ again attempts to take the male element out of ‘HIS story’. Though there are nearly 900,000 Google citations for ‘HERstory, they are all based on a mistaken assumption. When Herodotus wrote the first history, the word meant simply an ‘inquiry’.

4. Flip Chart. The term can be offensive to Filipinos, please use ‘writing block’.

5. 1a and 1b -- The headmistress of a grade school in Midlothian (Scotland) had to split a grade into two equal classes. Though the split was purely alphabetical, parents objects because those with children in '1b' feared they may be perceived as academically inferior to those in '1a'.

6. Politically Incorrect Colors -- Staff at a coffee shop in Glasgow refused to serve a customer who had ordered a 'black coffee', believing it to be ‘racist.’ He wasn’t served until he changed his order to 'coffee without milk'. Around the world we have reports of the word ‘black’ becoming emotionally charged and politically correct or incorrect depending upon one’s point of view.

7. Oriental – Asian, please. Though this is generally a purely American phenomenon. In Europe, Asians prefer the term Oriental, which literally means ‘those from the East’.

8. Menaissance – The rise of a ‘manliness’ culture or male renaissance. Replaces metrosexual, which evidently appealed to women but not men.

9. Momtini -- A Michigan mother invented the term ‘momtini’ as an act of rebellion against ‘parental correctness’. This has raised the hackles of child protection and ‘anti-alcohol’ groups.

10. “Our Mother and Father Who are in Heaven” – From a new, ‘inclusive’ Bible translation (The Bible in a More Just Language) that replaces what it believes to be “divisive” teachings of Christianity.

Bonus: Political Correctness -- 'Equality Essentials,' a 44-page training manual book called has been used for staff training courses at Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire suggests that the term Political Correctness is now politically incorrect.

once this year is over, i will compile some for 2007... there are some good ones, this year...

Political correctness is going crazy. I frequantly use the term 'brainstorm' and don't see any way in which it could offend anybody. What is the world coming to...

I'm just going to go over my opinion on the subject here.

I fear my opinion may be viewed as a bit juvenile and immature, as it seems to be the opinion of many adolescents.
To which, I am not very proud to be associated with, but this is where I stand none the less.

I do not believe in "Political Correctness" in the sense that it has taken on in the last few years.
I've never believed in censorship.
And I've always believed in 100% freedom of speech. No matter what that speech might be.

I think that society, as a whole, has been getting far too sensitive to words being said. Especially when they get overly offended at something they heard someone say when that person wasn't even referring to them, or even the actual issue. Let me clarify, because I know that sentence is a bit unclear: Somebody calls something 'retarded' out of frustration; someone with a mental deficit hears the statement and goes into a state of serious offense and depression.
I can't speak for everyone, but I'm sure in that situation, 95% of people wouldn't be thinking of a mentally challenged person when they're frustrated and call something 'retarded'.
Same theory applies for 'gay' and other such words.

I'd like to clarify, at this time, that this entire post is meant to be purely that of my opinion.

I think that society should calm down about the word choices of people being used. Especially in situations where the words they're complaining about haven't even been used in an offensive intent.

I'd also like to clarify another point;
I'm not, in any way, saying I would condone somebody using such words in offensive way. (IE : Walking up to a man walking down the road wearing pink and screaming (A derogatory remark for homosexual that Trap17 censors) at him.)
There is a difference between Free Speech and general consideration for people. And I believe that most of society should have the common sense not to insult people. But really, anyone who is going to scream profanities and derogatory statements at someone out of prejudice would do so with or without the approval of society.

I apologize if anything I've said is unclear.
I'm aware that there are times I end up typing faster than my mind actually formulates words into coherent sentences.
Out of courtesy, I'd ask that, if you feel the need to pick apart my post (Which I'm sure at least one person will), that you make sure you aren't misunderstanding what I'm saying first.