Whenever I’m discussing something I’m passionate
about (gender roles, inclusion, rape culture, media- okay fine it’s a lot of
stuff) with a new acquaintance, the conversation usually goes in one of three
directions. Direction 1: I get a resounding “yaaaaaas girl” (very rare and
probs because I’m talking to another feminist/myself in the mirror). Direction
2: the subject is awkwardly changed when they realize how red my face is
getting and we probably shouldn’t be talking about the effects of hardcore porn
in a coffee shop anyway. Direction 3: “You’re too sensitive”/”People want to be
so politically correct these days”.
“You’re too sensitive”. I have a lot of problems
with this response, and I’ll go ahead and make a handy dandy list as to why:
- I’m gonna make an informed leap here and assume (I
know, bad, I KNOW) that when most men passionately argue about things,
they do not get called ‘sensitive’. Being called sensitive is a one
word way of saying: “You, as a woman, are obviously getting too emotional
(menstruation and whatnot) and therefore you probably need to sit down,
have a glass of water, and get back to me when you’re more logical.”
- Why is being sensitive a bad thing? Why should caring
about the rights of others, what we call people who don’t look like us,
how we approach big world problems be something that is
callous and without feeling? Shouldn’t we strive to be sensitive to
others?
- By calling a woman sensitive, one doesn’t even respond
to the content of whatever it is she just said. By labeling her as
emotional or crazy, she gets discredited, and you
don’t even have to acknowledge what she said was right or wrong. Perfect
move!
“You’re too politically correct”. A lot of people
(comedians, talking heads, politicians, etc.) like to fling this term around as
an insult, that you’re being (again) too sensitive* when using the correct term
for a people, an identity, a movement. Because that first list went so well,
let’s try another!
- In my experience, this term is used a lot when someone
gets offended by something that’s offensive. Like, it’s their fault for
getting offended, that they can’t take a joke. First of all, there’s
no way for something to be funny to everyone- so no, you’re transphobic
joke wasn’t funny to me. Second, way to be a super lazy comedian and
offend someone or some group for a laugh instead of thinking of something
new not at the expense of someone else.
- It’s not about walking on eggshells, but using the correct term for something. There are a lot of words we no longer use because we know better now. It’s trying to change our ignorance, not as some call it, “the pussification of America” (omGEE don’t even get me started).
Well, that felt a lot better now that I got that
off my chest. Oh, you’re upset about what I said and think that I’m completely
wrong and need to be yelled at? Don’t be so sensitive.
*see above list of being called sensitive.
Written by Marissa
Floro
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