I am so tired, not offended, but just tired of hearing people complain and post online about how easily offended everyone is. I’m bored with the memes talking about how our generation is a bunch of sensitive toddlers.
If you’re one of these people who complain about oversensitivity or “political correctness,” you are most likely annoyed by terms like: Cultural appropriation, cultural insensitivity, supremacy, privilege, oppression, misogyny, cisgender, cishet, gender identity, problematic, etc.
I’m not saying that there aren’t any actual oversensitive people, but that the majority of these people you are probably referring to are not actually easily offended. It's not like these people, or at least most, are going up to people like you saying things like how your overalls are appropriating farmer culture, or how you’re homophobic because you weren’t crazy about Brokeback Mountain. However, these people may go up to you and say you’re appropriating black culture by being white and wearing dreads, or correct you on something problematic you’ve said, but that’s not them being easily offended. You’re just being insensitive.
Today, a lot of people who complain about “easily offended” people are just referring to marginalized groups (and sometimes their allies) who refuse to put up with genuinely problematic comments and actions that actually affect them. People who complain about the “easily offended” are just annoyed that people of color, queer people, women, etc., have been standing up for themselves more these past few years. They are annoyed that oppressed individuals have been calling others out on microagressions instead of staying quiet and uncomfortable for the sake of someone’s “joke.”
And this is not an attack because that would be hypocritical. Many, many people who are aware of social issues now were not always aware. Many of these people at one point probably made or laughed at insensitive jokes, but have become aware of oppression and the social implications of certain “jokes,” therefore no longer find them funny. It’s so irritating for someone to hear, “oh you used to have a sense of humor,” just because they now don’t find your casual racism, sexism, misogyny, or transphobia acceptable. It’s irritating for someone who politely tries to correct or educate you on something to then hear, “Oh god they're one of those people” or “here they go again about to get all politically correct.” Instead, try listening when someone calls you out on something wrong you’re doing instead of just writing them off as oversensitive so you can continue being comfortable with perpetuating problematic ideals.
When I hear these comments or see these posts complaining about the “oversensitive,” what I’m really getting from it is that you don’t want people to stop being oversensitive (because many times they aren’t). You just want people to be okay with you being insensitive.
