IS OUR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS EVER GOING TO END?

 IS OUR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS EVER GOING TO END?

As I have ranted many times before, our obsession with political correctness has to have some limits imposed. It seems no matter what we say or how we say it, it is now open to scrutiny from all directions. We must be sensitive to racial and ethnic diversity. We must be considerate of different religions and sexual orientations. We must choose every word that escapes our mouths very carefully. 

Today I am picking on Lufthansa Airlines. It will greet fliers using gender-neutral language from now on. Lufthansa Airlines have historically welcomed travellers on board by referring to them as "ladies and gentlemen.” In a statement, the airline said that on future flights travellers will be referred to as "guests," or simply greeted with a cheerful: "Good morning here on board."

"Diversity and equality are core values for our company and our corporate culture. From now on, we want to express this attitude in our language as well -- and show that diversity is not just a phrase, but a lived reality," reads the Lufthansa statement. Well, isn’t that just wonderful! And what difference does their greeting really make to the tired traveller who just wants to get home or to their holiday destination. 

On a related issue, In June 2021, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) committee report on the drone industry recommended that aviation terminology such as "airman" and "unmanned" should be changed to a more gender-neutral alternative, such as "aviator" and "uncrewed" and that this change should be adopted by the industry more widely. The super-sensitive element in our societies is driving those of us who are generally already tolerant and understanding of gender issues nuts with their nonsense. 

My biggest gender issue is when I am in a restaurant and have to go to the bathroom. I am not referring to whether I will use the room with the urinals or surprise the ladies in the commode-only restroom. My difficulty is the cute, but often bizarre designations, posted on the doors of the restrooms. I can understand “men” and “women” labels but in the past, I have had to stop and try to decipher the meanings of signs that read, “ XX or XY” or “holsters or pistols” or “eggs or sausage” or “heifers or steers” or “blokes or sheilas” or “cat or rooster” or “standers or sitters”. 

If Lufthansa really believe in their core values of diversity and equality, then there are other ways to show it on their planes. For example, you could sit where you want on the plane and the first people to buy a ticket should get to board first. That would be fair and equitable. If they wanted to be fair, their seats should all be the same size and spaced equally. Is not the curtain that they so ceremoniously close between first class and coach a direct conflict with the value of equality? Should I write them a letter to raise the issue?

I could go on and on, but I am trying to maintain my sanity when it comes to issues like this. Have a nice day, friends, family, acquaintances, government censors, accidental readers, and former friends. I hope I have not missed anyone!