Last week, when the University of Tennessee decided to ask everyone to be gender neutral and use "ze" instead of he or she, it ignited a public backlash. I can't be a she? But that's what I'm used to and I think I've earned it.
After all, I am offended by the word "humans" because of the focus on "man" and I'd like to call you all HUs. Our greeting, instead of yoo-hoo, will be HU-HOO. Hell-o offends my religious beliefs, by the way. HU-HOO will fix that, too. I'm not hounding the university about it yet.
As much as I don't want to offend anyone, this is starting to be a bit over-the-top. The public zeal to make everyone included has turned into a huge steam roller driven by one group or another. With enough gas (an apt term) in that steam roller, the driver is free to roll over anybody and anything that doesn't align with the driver. It doesn't take too much dissection of this issue to see that the primary goal of making everyone feel included and represented isn't happening; not really.
Can't we get away from all this political correctness and back to working on relationships?
Another idea: let's just love our neighbor instead of offending or being offended. We could call it offriending.
(Whoops...I've reached the end and there's not much funny stuff here. Flight of the Conchords, can you help me out??)
Hi, dear Cherdo!
ReplyDeleteIt's your good friend Shady and I'm always a little "off." Gender neutrality - does that mean I'm not allowed to wear dresses in public anymore? I agree that there's such a thing as too much PC and it's time to TCB and dish some TLC.
Food for thought, dear friend, and I'm chewing every bite 40 times with my mouth shut.
Speaking of offriending, Mrs. Shady and I are off again tomorrow on another of our trips. I will be gone until Sunday, using a borrowed laptop, limited blogging time, yada yada yada, so please understand if I am late getting over here in the next few days.
Happy Wednesday, dear friend Cherdo!
You be careful out there in the big bad world, friend Shady.
DeleteLate arrivals? Note that it took a whole day for me to get back here!! I'm swamped today but glad to see you stopped by.
DeleteToo much PC is the thought of the week and it just keeps getting more ridiculous. Argh. Some folks really have nothing else to think about, I suppose.
Be careful on your mini-journey...remember the sunblock.
I am so confused.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
Join ze crowd.
DeleteI'm reminded of the woman who said to Groucho Marx, "I didn't come here to be insulted!" to which he retorted with, "Oh, yea? Where do you usually go?"
ReplyDeleteSometimes we worry so much about being PC that we forget to be kind.
Amen! Perfect thought, Mirka!
DeleteWell ze is not on dictionary.com so it's not a word. Problem solved. But what was interesting was the origins of he and she on the dictionary site. They've been through a lot over the centuries.
ReplyDeleteCan we just agree that ze is not a word and then they will hush??
DeleteIt's a word that needs using! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteSome people seem to be too easily offendable!
I'm on the offriend only train.
DeleteIts just too much. How did we get to where we are? People need to simma down now and quite being so sensitive. I like your new word! Sending hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteOh and great use of the Flight of Conchords! I loved that show. My favorite is when they sing about "doing business or getting busy". LOL
DeleteIt's Business Time! Ha ha ha...love it.
DeleteWe sing "Hurt Feelings" an embarrassing amount of times...
I'm with you on this whole political correctness thing, and then some even go out and carry a sign to protest! Yikes....we need to develop thicker skin, all of us.
ReplyDeleteSome days, I just shake my head at the nonsense. Don't we have BIG problems to address?
DeleteIt is sooooooo pathetic. Whoops, I shouldn't use that word and ban it because it has Pat in it. People need to grow the hell up. 99% of others aren't out to offend you, so if you take offense to what they say, you are the idiot.
ReplyDeleteSome of the things people find offensive are really long shots. And darn it...I forgot to make a rhyme. You're leading me astray, Pat. And you're supposed to bring the rhyme!
DeleteIt's kind of funny. Some people are so worried about offending others, that they come up with nonsense like this. Others just don't care.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you said it. UT, I live in this town! Stop the insanity.
Delete<<---As much as I don't want to offend anyone, this is starting to be a bit over-the-top. The public zeal to make everyone included has turned into a huge steam roller driven by one group or another. With enough gas (an apt term) in that steam roller, the driver is free to roll over anybody and anything that doesn't align with the driver. It doesn't take too much dissection of this issue to see that the primary goal of making everyone feel included and represented isn't happening; not really.
ReplyDeleteNot really? Not at all. The more PC we get, the more divisive the world gets. Gender neutrality? Who wants to be neutral in LIFE? Well, I worked as hard as I could for a bland life. I went so far as to only wear beige, colored my hair dirty blonde, and didn't speak (because I might inadvertently offend someone), and I daresay it's all worked pretty well. No one hates me because no one knows me. In fact, I think I might have become invisible. Yeah, that's the life EVERYONE wants. Ze.
All the HUs want to be ze.
DeleteOffriending, what a good idea. PC is often crazy...
ReplyDeleteI'm offriending you.
DeleteBoy, the way Glenn Miller played
ReplyDeleteSongs that made the Hit Parade.
Guys like us we had it made,
Those were the days.
And you knew who you were then,
Girls were girls and men were men,
Mister, we could use a man
Like Herbert Hoover again.
Didn't need no Welfare State,
Everybody pulled his weight.
Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.
Those were the days.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
My uncle was the king of the carnival game where you threw coins into mugs. I don't know where he learned it - he was a very conservative businessman! Anyway, he took me to a local carnival and won 6 or 8 big class mugs: they all said "Archie Bunker for President." At the time, I wouldn't have used one to save my soul (PSA: it won't save your soul). Now, I wonder where they are because I bet they're worth a mint.
DeleteAnd the fact that I'd send them to you, ha ha.
When I was a kid, and that show was #1, we had one of those mugs in our kitchen cupboard. It got used a lot.
DeleteI was just telling Beer Boy "6-B" Bryan recently about that mug and how much I wish I had it today. As a matter of fact, I would vote Archie for president. Let's see... Hillary? Trump? Bunker? ...Give me Bunker! At least he tells you what he REALLY thinks and where he REALLY stands.
Yeah, I'd vote Bunker. Like, things could somehow get worse than they are, maybe? I don't think so. After all the Meatheads in the White House, we're at a point where there's only room for improvement.
~ D-FensDogG
As my Mom refuses to throw away anything, I need to ask her if she still has those floating around in the basement. You can find anything in her basement, unfortunately.
DeleteOr "fortunately" (for me, if she still has an 'Archie Bunker For President' mug). I'd send you money for one. Really. I bet my Brother would, too. Perhaps 6-B... I dunno.
DeleteBut if your Ma still has 'em all, you're literally "in business".
~ D-FensDogG
Well said! We are getting just a bit too politically correct. If everyone is equal no matter what, where's the drive to achieve more?
ReplyDeleteWelcome to our commune.
DeleteAll the efforts in include everyone is making everyone singled out. Pretty soon we will be hunted down and burned alive to dare think different than anyone else. Back in my day we had something called a backbone. If someone offended you, you brushed it off, picked yourself up, ignored them, unfriended them, learned to be a better person, led by example, grew a thick skin, etc. etc. When I grew up, I was picked on over and over again. Many students would call me names. I had to do many of the above to just survive. But guess what? I DID survive. It's a part of life. And the real problem is, the real bullies don't care. And even if forced to conform, they will just find a new way to torment and tease. PC really has gone far too far.
ReplyDeleteI SO agree with you, Jeff. Life had bumps and you learned how to ignore,maneuver or adapt. Is it perfect? No, I think everyone would rather have a rainbow haired unicorn and walk on a bed of cotton candy, heart shaped clouds.
DeleteBut hey - I didn't get that, either!
Everyone being equal is like that myth about fairness we give our children. Te world is not a fair place and people aren't equal---unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteAmen; but it's not equal for everyone. Maybe that is the part we all share.
DeleteOffriending- what a concept! It'll sweep the nation- until, you know, THOSE people co-opt it, and then it'll ...just... kinda... suck... away... BUT until then, make mine offriending!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI offriend you, Chris!
DeleteUh, the easy way to solve the he/she thing is to make the subject plural and then use they/them or whatever. Ze isn't in my lexicon.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
We can all be its. I'm confused as to whether I am they or them.
DeleteUgh this reminds me -many years ago, when women got upset because those round things in the street were called manhole covers. So for a while people were calling them personhole covers. Firepersons, police persons and so on. For people who dwell so much on this I say.."Get a Life!!" Stop looking to be offended and do something more constructive than griping. This ends my rant:)
ReplyDeleteHey, girl, we co-ranted. Ha ha ha.
DeleteI sgree with you on the too much PC. Social media used to be alot more fun now it is more like what the heck...
ReplyDeleteIt did! How can we go back in time...?
DeleteSo, you know, I often wonder something. If there are people that get wildly offended by terms like "he" and "she", then what would happen if they saw something that was ACTUALLY offensive, like a guy in a Hitler costume walking into a Jewish temple? Would they just fall over and die of a massive heart attack? I mean, I feel like if simply identifying someone as either a man or a woman wrecks your day, that true offense would just literally kill you.
ReplyDelete