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Originally Posted by MysticCat
Ah, there's the rub though. I'm fine with call people what they call themselves, but sometimes that means there's not a "correct" word, and the problem is attempting to enforce a correctness that doesn't really exist.
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No there's not always one correct word, but there ARE words that are considered generally offensive.
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For example, I don't mind saying "Indian" (or "American Indian") and I don't mind saying "Native American." I don't want to offend. But I have been castigated for not saying "Native American" even though I have been told by my "Native American" friends that they don't like to be called that, that they prefer to be called by their tribe or to be called [American] Indians. So what's a person to do, pay attention to people they know or pay attention to those who have decided which term is "correct" and will correct you if you don't follow their lead?
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Generally you'd pay attention to the people you know, although also not always assuming that those people represent everyone. And there's an element of reclamation of words that may make it OK for members of a group to use words and not ok for non-members to use them.
People can be misinformed from either side of the spectrum. But think this way if you had one friend who said "American Indian and/or tribal name" and another friend who said "Native American" you'd probably manage to code switch and use the correct words with each. Even if you didn't, your friends would probably understand. If you insisted on saying whatever you preferred because it was 'too hard' to remember or worse to just say 'INJUN' you'd be an asshole. Which, MC, you're not
There's a big difference in words used for policy "persons with disabilities" and words used among social groups - where 'cripple' might be ok because it's been kind of reclaimed by an individual or group of individuals.
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(And I'm not saying no one prefers to be called Native American. I'm just saying that friends have told me they don't like to be called Native American, but I'm sure others do prefer it. I'm just trying to be respectful.)
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And that's the point. When it's
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And I think PCness goes further than that. Frankly, I think "pledge" vs. "new member" and "rush" vs. "recruitment" can veer into the realm of PC.
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Could, except that it's not really "PC" in any way other than the fact that our orgs have changed the language. They've intentionally changed the language for a reason. It's called marketing. It's not so we don't offend the widdle PNMs feewings.
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I'm totally with you on being polite and considerate. But I'm not with you on thinking that there aren't some overzealous political correctness police out there. I've met them all too often.
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I didn't say that they weren't assholes too, they're not typically being 'polite' themselves. That doesn't make any of it about being "PC" or not.
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Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie
I think using the word "exclude" sounds like something you don't want.
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Not necessarily, it means the opposite of including. It doesn't mean you won't offer them bids, but it does mean you're not extending them special consideration of legacy. In some sense it also does mean you don't "want" to include them in your legacy definition on a national level. I'm not sure what other word you would use that wouldn't require talking around the subject. Omit? Leave out? Not include? Exclude isn't inherently negative, our orgs are exclusive in many ways and inclusive in others.
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And I don't think that is the intention in narrowing it to mothers and sisters. I'm sure all Tri Deltas are happy to have any woman who has a Tri Delta connection consider our sisterhood.
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Right, but not necessarily as a legacy. This is the same with every NPC org AFAICT
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So "exclude" sounds exclusive or negative to me and I'm sure that isn't the intention.
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It is exclusive, that has to be the intent or it would include everyone.
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It is more about having to decide who to include and given the overwhelming legacy problems so many schools are starting to face, I'm not surprised they chose to narrow the parameters. I bet there was a lot of discussion before the grandmother connection was dropped.
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I'm still curious to know whether steps are excluded or included by the policy. And I'm still leaning towards 'included by lack of exclusion.'
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