[Bobbie416]

I remember about 35 years ago when I refused to sign a mortgage agreement that listed my husband's name and just listed me as wife. He could not understand my objection. Neither could the bank. So I said that I would agree to sign an agreement with just my name and him listed as husband. Both our names ended up on that mortgage agreement.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by Bobbie416

I remember about 35 years ago when I refused to sign a mortgage agreement that listed my husband's name and just listed me as wife. He could not understand my objection. Neither could the bank. So I said that I would agree to sign an agreement with just my name and him listed as husband. Both our names ended up on that mortgage agreement.

Perfect example Bobbie. Thanks for that post. We are getting there, but there is some distance to travel for all but old white men. I am an old white man, so please no flames. I guess I should be threatened by women and minorities wanting to be my equal, but I am not. I am sure I owe that to the many female members of my direct family and I want them to have the same advantages that I have had all my life just because I was born male and white.

[Graytop]

Originally Posted by Indydealmaker

1/2 of a workplace never has been offended by labels in use for hundreds of years. Mainstream media and a few screaming meemees con everybody into thinking these are real issues. In fact those that believe these "politically correct" issues are valid are simply focusing on make believe issues because that is much easier than dealing with real life issues.

Agreed!

[quirky3]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

Perfect example Bobbie. Thanks for that post. We are getting there, but there is some distance to travel for all but old white men. I am an old white man, so please no flames. I guess I should be threatened by women and minorities wanting to be my equal, but I am not. I am sure I owe that to the many female members of my direct family and I want them to have the same advantages that I have had all my life just because I was born male and white.

Sincere kudos to you!

[mulligan]

This is precisely the type of colloquial nitpicking that helps our government grow ( they'll need a fleet of new inspectors to assure compliance), and keeps this very forum alive.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by twinklesweep

Whether we agree or not with what has evolved into something called "political correctness" (which if i had to give it a name I would have called it "social correctness" since in reality there's nothing "political" about the issue itself), what is the big deal with the sign reading "work area" rather than "men working"? Is there something wrong with "flight attendant" (versus "stewardess"), "letter carrier" (rather than "mailman"), "firefighter" (as opposed to "fireman")? Really, what is the big deal?

On second though, maybe society has a ways to go to not offend anyone. It just bounced off me like people are way too sensitive to every little thing.

I am for equal rights for all people and we all know, strides still need to be made to be totally equal. Like equal pay for the same type of work for men and women.

[billethkid]

screw the political correctness BS.....how about just a simple requiremnent like requiring the brain to be in gear.

Unfortynatelly some intellectuals, note I said some, may have the :smart" credentials but the have no common sense or touch with reality.

btk

[Mikeod]

OK. Now that everyone has had a chance to respond. My real, and only, problem with the incident in Colorado is that the college administrator forced the people (men) to stop working until the sign was fixed or removed. A real adult solution to the situation, IMHO, would have been to take up the matter with the main office of the company doing the work, and not with the crew simply doing their job with the tools, and signs, they had on hand.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by mikeod

OK. Now that everyone has had a chance to respond. My real, and only, problem with the incident in Colorado is that the college administrator forced the people (men) to stop working until the sign was fixed or removed. A real adult solution to the situation, IMHO, would have been to take up the matter with the main office of the company doing the work, and not with the crew simply doing their job with the tools, and signs, they had on hand.

Yup.

Seems simple to me too.

All that horsin' around is so bureaucratic....and so much the reason that the government wastes money. JUST WORK should be right up there with JUST DO IT.

[Golfingnut]

I think people are less likely to allow the long version of correcting sensitive speech to work now than in the past. Black american waited 200 years to slowly move from colored to black. Native Americans are still refereed to by some as Red Skins. I am appalled when I still hear reference to Mentally Challenged as retarded. No offence, and I fully understand these are exaggerations, but I use these to express a point, that when you are personally effected by hurtful words, then I think we all would become impatient. I feel we need to think twice and speak once. I apologize up front if I offend anyone with this post. Please take this post as a sincere request for sensitivity to all people.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

I think people are less likely to allow the long version of correcting sensitive speech to work now than in the past. Black american waited 200 years to slowly move from colored to black. Native Americans are still refereed to by some as Red Skins. I am appalled when I still hear reference to Mentally Challenged as retarded. No offence, and I fully understand these are exaggerations, but I use these to express a point, that when you are personally effected by hurtful words, then I think we all would become impatient. I feel we need to think twice and speak once. I apologize up front if I offend anyone with this post. Please take this post as a sincere request for sensitivity to all people.

You are a dear person. But the incorrect signs could be addressed and let the men and women work while it was happening.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

You are a dear person. But the incorrect signs could be addressed and let the men and women work while it was happening.

Thank you and I agree with that, I just did not want every inappropriate reference to be dismissed by the good ole boy view that we are being TOO POLITICALLY CORRECT. We used to say that as a defense for the N word and so many other words used as a direct insult. Again, I agree the men in this case should have continued to work as they were not directly responsible and Men At Work is very small in comparison to some comments we all have made in the past.

[rubicon]

The gender pendulum has swung too far left and it is about time that this society recognizes that it has doing irreparable damage regarding the process of bringing boys to manhood and the evidence is apparent everywhere you look. And, political correctness by any other name is political correctness and its use is to stifle free speech. Its one thing not to go out of the way to hurt someone's feelings its quite another to believe within the certainties of the limits of nature that hurt feelings can be forever eliminated. Finally for this same limitation this faux-attempt at equality is self defeating and illusionary. I can't stands no more (Popeye)

[quirky3]

For me, it has nothing to do with hurting anyone's feelings or offending anyone. It is shifting the mindset to achieve equality in such things as job salary and opportunity. Here's one example - musicians in professional orchestras. Things are starting to shift, but why should one of your equally qualified daughters or grand-daughters be denied employment with an orchestra strictly based on their gender?

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by quirky3

For me, it has nothing to do with hurting anyone's feelings or offending anyone. It is shifting the mindset to achieve equality in such things as job salary and opportunity. Here's one example - musicians in professional orchestras. Things are starting to shift, but why should one of your equally qualified daughters or grand-daughters be denied employment with an orchestra strictly based on their gender?

Hi quirky3: I spent quite a few years in Human Resources Management and as an Operations Manager and I can tell you that in our industry women made as much as men. I can't speak to other industires or professions with any specificity but can say confidently that one of the reason government stats show women being paid less has to do with the fact that they leave the workplace to raise children take care of ailing parens, etc. So the equation tilts not because of lower pay but because women worked less time during that period under review.

In our industry whether women were professionals, management, technical or clerks they took more leave of absences than men. This was one of my references to limits of nature. How many men do you know that would be good caretakers? I don't deal in absolutes , so certainly there are some but they are in the minoritity