Political correctness – A body that never stops shedding hatred.
By Joana Alarcão
Magazine - Social Justice
A system that never changes, the urge for revolt and uprising, is such a human characteristic. Craving to change so much that it becomes the same.
Over the last couple of years, a wave of social movements demanding societal changes arose. Something I deem overwhelming positive but also a two-edged sword. It is unfortunately an obsessive search for meaning, undermining the “minorities” that it’s supposed to aid.
Political correctness is of course a call for action and attention but it is also a zero-tolerance policy. Raising questions and worst of all demanding actions that parallel the ones of old regimes. Controlling language and depriving people of speaking their truth, fearing the word racist or be accused of playing the race card, can only bring more oppression. Isn’t one of the methods of totalitarian regimes to control language?
Change is not the problem.
I am not saying that demanding change is the problem. We should work for a better society and fight for unfairness but not get consumed by it. A flame fed by hatred of thousands of years of oppression of race, sexual identity or individuality is not the answer.
How can we have a more equal society if people are fearful of expressing themselves, and as a consequence shy away from debates and restraining?
Honestly, I relish having an engaging conversation with opposing viewpoints, but I used to be hesitant to get involved in conversations about identity policies, just because I had to tiptoe around it. As someone who is in the “majorities ” category.
Individuals, are judged just by speaking their minds ( and look I am not saying that you should be speaking every unfiltered thought that comes to mind, playing the card of freedom of speech)
The Fear chain of not wanting to know.
Current events are creating a chain loop of fear and even worst lack of knowledge because we are hesitant to ask about it. Accepting things we do not comprehend.
It is underlying true that the movement forward bared a lot of fruits. With unprecedented numbers of women and people of colour into positions of power but it also brought more violence and inequality.
Treating people differently accordingly to their race, sexuality or gender is unfair in every context. People shouldn’t wonder if their achievements are based on their race or gender and not their competencies.
How can we weaponize language like this? Appealing to policies of, male against women, white against black and straight against hetero. Becoming no better than the patriarchy that we all seem to hate, without even blinking.
As social beings we need open and fair conversations, of course, we should be conscious of cultural appropriations, however, I believe it should be more based on common sense and sensitivity.
A couple of years back, when engaging in an informal debate I was called a feminazi just because I was defending women rights, so I was deemed to hate males. Completely absurd, a first-hand consequence of political correctness policies.
We are all feeling oppressed about political correctness in the matter that it is one in favor of the other, you can’t be white, hetero, female and feminist without being against something.
Nothing is black or white and I believe that is just a way to be narrow-minded and shy away from knowing and, honestly, thinking.
People that embrace change and differences are the real way forward. Not wanting everyone to be equal, because we are not. We are all distinct in nature but equal by law.
So next time you are involved in a conversation about it don’t shy away, don’t tiptoe around the “minorities”, embrace an honest conversation and even ask things you do not know.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44667183-the-madness-of-crowds
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Joana Alarcão
