Quick Insights on PC…
…You know…”political correctness”
As you get ready for Memorial Day, remember not only those who’ve served, but also that this is the time of year when many of us reflect on American rights, including our First Amendment: the right to free speech.
Sadly, for years now we’ve known that there have been many challenges to composing various communications…be they marketing, sales, HR, or anything else. That challenge is known as “political correctness” aka PC.
I pulled this definition from Collins Dictionary:
“Political correctness is the attitude or policy of being extremely careful not to offend or upset any group of people in society who have a disadvantage, or who have been treated differently because of their sex, gender, race, or disability. “(1)
In other words, the goal of PC is breaking negative stereotypes, and eliminating any spoken or written discriminatory statements.
Challenge over negatives
PC started gaining ground around 40 years ago. Let’s just recognize that any “minority”…that is a someone not male nor Anglo-Saxon Protestant…has probably heard or read communications that are not the sort of thing today’s communications should contain.
It can be easy to find and erase what’s generally considered “negative” or “inappropriate” language. But there are so many non-PC terms that are not easily spotted and refined. And there are cultural differences.
I can give you one example. (And forgive my having to use it.) “Negro” used to refer to slaves in the USA. We’ve only recently changed it to Black, with that capital B. But that “N” word actually means “black” in Spanish. That’s created challenges in countries that speak that language. Are people supposed to say something generic like, “I want to buy a dark-colored car” instead of using the N word as their color?
Moving to more positive phrasing
Things are so confusing that not long ago many larger business established specific rules and training sessions about what’s often called “DEI;” i.e., “Diversity, Equality. and Inclusion.” Indeed some have whole departments that help spot negativity, then create ever-updated rules on PC, and hold training session. (I actually wrote about DEI for Legal Management magazine.) (2)
You can find tons of insights on what’s politically correct on the web. Just use research smarts and look for reliable sources.
One great link that I found is from the Harvard Business Review. (3) It not only uses common examples of politically incorrectness, it offers five key pointers for taming negativity.
For example, it reminds us to “Pause to short-circuit the emotion and reflect” and also “Get genuine support that doesn’t necessarily validate your point of view but, rather, helps you gain a broader perspective.”
I know this is going to be tough. It’s a very complicated area; it gets the lawyers confused! Just keep the issue in mind and try to stay updated on what terms you should/shouldn’t use. ###
Yes, it’s possible to create content that’s correct, but imaginative, even thought-provoking. For blogs, white papers, web content, and more in health, tech, and biz communications, contact Wendy now! She can fill in for vacationing team members, help prep fall conference materials, and bring new inspirations any time of year.
SOURCES
1. Collins Dictionary, https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/political-correctness
2. “When Pandemic Effects Are Disproportionate, How Do We Move Forward?,” w. Meyeroff, Legal Management, 3/22
3. “Rethinking Political Correctness,” R. J. Ely, D. Meyerson, M. N. Davidson, Harvard Business Review, 9/06
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