The term "politically correct" originated in the 1970s and stood for "inclusive." He was referring to the use of language that would not make a person of any demographic (social or cultural) background feel excluded, offended or belittled.
Today it seems to have been redefined by those who prefer an exclusive culture with their own or their group's dominance. The distortions were popularized by US comedians who observed the changes in culture in their country in a more inclusive sense compared to the efforts many faced in losing their exclusive habits.
Steps
Step 1. Be careful when talking about a group or other people
Use language that doesn't make anyone feel excluded, belittled, or devalued.
Step 2. Avoid language that refers only to one demographic group, unless it is specifically aimed at that group, for example by using "men" when you mean "all people"
An accurate description is the essence of 'politically correct'.
Step 3. Whenever possible, use a neutral version in titles, such as "President" or "Mayor":
in Italian it is preferable to use the neutral masculine even when referring to positions that can be filled by both men and women, and the feminine declension should be used only in cases where the neutral one is not correctly applicable, such as "Seller". For example, using terms like "Policewoman" should be avoided, preferring the neutral terminology "Police Officer". The gender specification is placed when the name is indicated personally, adding the suffix "Mrs." or "Mr." where necessary, for example "The President Maria Rossi" or "The Mayor, Mrs. Maria Rossi".
Step 4. Avoid expressions that are derogatory about physical or mental abilities, such as "handicapped" or "retarded"
Instead, use more generic language, such as "person with disabilities" or "person with Down syndrome". People have disabilities, they are not defined by them. In many cases, simply refer to the person who has mental, physical or other impairments in the same way you would use with anyone else in an ideal situation.
Step 5. Avoid overly cautious racial descriptions that can be offensive
For example, the expression "Italian-African" cannot be used by us as it does in the United States, where there are direct descendants of African slaves. Africans who emigrated to Italy know which state they come from. Example: a person who comes from Egypt is an Italian-Egyptian. In case you are unsure of the person's citizenship, "colored" and "white" are acceptable terms.
Step 6. Avoid using religious terms when talking about a group that may include people of different religions (eg
saying "God bless you" at a public event). The exception is granted in the context of an academic description or one that refers specifically to a religious group, such as "Evangelical Christians believe that …", or "Jews are generally recognizable by their Yom Kippur …".
Step 7. Be sensitive to inferences that people can read in your words
Many common expressions date back to times when the social climate was less inclusive, and only time and education can totally eliminate them (eg, if you are asking if a girl is busy, asking "Do you have a boyfriend?" Would be politically incorrect since assumes a heterosexual inclination. Instead you should ask, "Are you seeing someone?"). Likewise, every cultural group protects itself from offensive generalizations and slander, not just a specific ethnic or sexual group.
Step 8. Respect everyone's right to choose the language and terms that best describe their race, class, sexuality, gender, or physical ability
Don't get defensive if someone rejects language that impoverishes, marginalizes, borders, or belittles them. Naming things right is a complicated matter; everyone should do their part in choosing the best terms to describe themselves.
Advice
- Consult a writing guide to learn the appropriate terms of inclusive language referring to people.
- When speaking or writing, the people you are addressing are likely to understand elements from different backgrounds; if you want to be taken seriously, use language that includes them all and does not offend any group.
Warnings
- Don't be pedantic. Don't argue for hours about which of two terms is politically correct and which is discriminatory.
- Do not overdo it. Just because someone uses "exclusive" language doesn't mean they're a racist person, and either way, going around accusing people of being prejudiced will reflect negatively on you, ultimately increasing resistance to politically correct.
- In the modern era, "politically correct" does not mean not offending anyone; it means no one can accuse you of saying something incorrect.
- Your reputation can be damaged by the use of exclusive language, leading you to be considered unreliable in managing a leadership position in social, business or political contexts.
- Sometimes it's hard to tell if you've actually said something wrong, so it's always best to rely on the famous saying "Some things are best not said at all."
- Using exclusive language can be illegal in certain contexts, such as work, and can lead to unwanted consequences such as firing.
Sources and Citations (in English)
- https://apastyle.apa.org/
- https://www.apastyle.org/disabilities.html
- https://www.apastyle.org/sexuality.html
- https://www.apastyle.org/race.html
- https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/research.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness
