Hearing my Zulu homestay sister refer to the characters on soapies as, “the coloured girl” or “the Indian guy” was both freeing and refreshing. I witnessed the absence of political correctness after my first few days here. A feeling of liberation fell over me. My entire life I have been told to never refer to someone by their race or ethnicity. Of course in the closed confines of my black household we would talk about people and race, but my parents always made it clear to me that that kind of discourse did not leave our home. And aside from conversations I held with my black friends exclusively, that kind of talk never did leave my home. I would never dare make my white friends feel uncomfortable by talks of race and color. I am a minority in America. The thought of excluding others sickened me, and I swore by being politically correct. However, I sometimes felt like I was censoring myself by talking around race. I would watch my white friends do the same, dancing around saying, “that black kid in the class”, by instead resorting to, “that kid with the glasses”, and then I would ask, “Which one?”, leading them to make the dreadful decision of ending the dance and specifying the student’s race. As long as no one is being discriminated against or marginalized, describing someone by their ethnicity is fine. Nevertheless, the dance around color continues.
As a culture we’ve become afraid to offend, demonstrate prejudice, perpetuate stereotypes, and marginalize others. With our racial history in the United States, these fears of discriminating against others are understandable. They are especially real for those perceived to be in a position of power, namely white Americans. In order to avoid offense and embarrassment, many resort to practicing political correctness. Although political correctness can combat discrimination and exclusion, at times it can get in the way of the truth. The paradox is that we strive to be inclusive, while also valuing freedoms of speech and expression. The tension between the two is evident in America, however it appears to be less of an issue in South Africa. Although South Africa’s racial history is just as grave as that of the U.S., South Africans, especially blacks, seldom go out of their way to be what Americans would consider politically correct. Today, South Africa has developed a culture in which people are free to say what they mean without being reprimanded. Perhaps they’ve got it right. Although the bluntness may be uncomfortable for foreigners, South Africans don’t fear what they say. Still, the issue with political correctness in South Africa, or lack thereof, is the fine line between being honest, and causing offense. While they’ve got freedom of expression down pat, lack of political correctness in South Africa may be reinforcing stereotypes and marginalization that hinder progression in their changing culture.
Just as I thought I could get used to this PC- free society, I had a conversation with my homestay sister about Asian cuisine. Scarfing down the Thai food I’d order at the mall, I asked my sister if she wanted to try some. The face she made at me indicated she was not interested. I then asked her if she liked Chinese food, trying to make a connection to something more familiar, and she stated, “The only Chinese food I like is sushi”. After laughing out loud, I teased her, “Sushi is Japanese, not Chinese”, she looked back at me unamused and said, “Same thing”. While I know that her statement was not meant to be malicious, I couldn’t help the eerie feeling that came over me. This incident stuck with me, and it became clear to me that while political correctness can often censor what we mean, it can keep us in check with our ignorance. Benignly referring to someone by race is harmless, but it’s important to stick to social norms. For instance, when referring to a group of people, it is imperative to use the terms that the group has deemed fit. An article about political correctness from the Economist points to the example, “Coloured is a common term in South Africa for people of mixed race; it is not considered derogatory. Elsewhere it may be”. There needs to be a balance. Always being mindful is very important.
Freedom of expression is an essential aspect of any democracy. However, in a country with a bloody history that continues to deal with issues of reconciliation, practicing elements of political correctness is still necessary. While it may appear as though South Africans are free from political correctness, in reality, racial identity may be so embedded in society that people cannot escape it. The ‘Rainbow Nation’ has made great strides in becoming a country that belongs to all who live in it, but society still has a long way to go to reach inclusion.
Alexa Cole, SIT
