I was dismayed by how many people yesterday thought it was OK because Brittany was “only” stereotyping gays, not being “homophobic.”And HR in today’s strip is joking about it.Well, suppose she’d asked a Black coworker to teach her to dance, because “Black people know how to dance.”Or worse…. offered to share the watermelon she brought for lunch because “I know how you people love watermelon.”
Suppose Boyd were Jewish, and she told him she was surprised he wasn’t a lawyer, because “Jews are so smart.”In fact, people have been surprised at my lack of delight when they tell me “All you Jewish people are so funny.”
All of those stereotypes were common 75 years ago,…people even insisted they were compliments….because neither Blacks nor Jews had any power or credibility when they tried to point out their offensiveness.
Is it “PC” that we don’t use them now? No, hopefully, we have started to listen to those affected, and realise it’s just common courtesy.So if gay people are offended by a certain stereotype of homosexuals….we need to listen, Not tell them how they ought to feel.
I was dismayed by how many people yesterday thought it was OK because Brittany was “only” stereotyping gays, not being “homophobic.”And HR in today’s strip is joking about it.Well, suppose she’d asked a Black coworker to teach her to dance, because “Black people know how to dance.”Or worse…. offered to share the watermelon she brought for lunch because “I know how you people love watermelon.”
Suppose Boyd were Jewish, and she told him she was surprised he wasn’t a lawyer, because “Jews are so smart.”In fact, people have been surprised at my lack of delight when they tell me “All you Jewish people are so funny.”
All of those stereotypes were common 75 years ago,…people even insisted they were compliments….because neither Blacks nor Jews had any power or credibility when they tried to point out their offensiveness.
Is it “PC” that we don’t use them now? No, hopefully, we have started to listen to those affected, and realise it’s just common courtesy.So if gay people are offended by a certain stereotype of homosexuals….we need to listen, Not tell them how they ought to feel.