Political Correctness

Introduction

Nowadays many people avoid words and phrases that were "normal" not so long ago. We avoid talking about blind people and instead say (and especially write) persons with a visual impairment. We should not talk about learning disabilities but use learning differences. Especially in America there is a strong tendency to avoid for instance policeman (should be police officer) and fireman (should be firefighter). In the same country the word negroes became Negroes, then non-white and colored (nowadays also person of color) and subsequently went from blacks to what is considered correct at the moment, namely African Americans.

But even in Great Britain - and in many other European countries - political correctness (often abbreviated PC) is becoming more and more common. Some institutions have an official policy about it. Most British universities for instance have a Code of Practice. Below the first paragraph of one of them:

The University recognises that prejudice and discrimination can be formed and reinforced by the language we use. As part of its commitment to developing a more welcoming living, working and teaching environment, the University aims to increase awareness of the role that language plays in all sections of our lives and to encourage the use of language which respects and includes all communities.

Therefore they prefer older people to the elderly, pensioners or senior citizens. And as to "Language and Gender" they write:

The English language has often assumed that the world is male and excluded women from consideration. It is necessary, therefore, to be aware of ways in which selecting gender neutral words actively contributes to promoting equality. The use of he or man as a generic term for an individual or people is unacceptable, and often inaccurate, and terms such as s/he, she/he or she or he are preferable. Particular terms are often unnecessarily gendered, for example, forefathers, chairman or manpower. Instead, you could refer to ancestors, chair or convenor or staff.