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Have you ever said anything as crass as this?

1066andallthat1066andallthat Posts: 1,793
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I'm 50 and regard myself as pretty PC correct.

When I was 16 (in 1977) I remember having discussions where I thought it bizarre that women should assume their husband's surname after marriage. A pretty minority view then.

I'm militant anti-racist. So much so, that my family say things like "Don't say that in front of <name withheld> as he'll go on and on about it". Implying that they say such things when I'm not there.

When I was 14 I remember being mischievous with all my friends and one of our friends was the single black boy in the village. After we did our deed, I shouted, "Let's run like a n****r". As soon as I said it I felt awful. My only defence was that it was a common phrase at the time.

I'm pro gay. I lived in Brighton for 12 years and often went to gay bars for a drink as they were the closest bars to my flat. Some of my friends refused to go. I found it funny that they automatically assumed that they would be hit upon just because it was a gay bar. On the very infrequent occasions that anyone approached me, I just said I wasn't gay.

So, a few days ago, I had to answer questions to fill in a form. The woman asking the questions insisted on asking each question followed by all options. She was droning on and on and I was getting bored.

She asked what is my sexuality, then started reading out the options. Before she got too far, I blurted out 'Normal'.

As soon as the second syllable left my mouth I was shocked that I had said such a thing.

It was totally against everything I believe.

I immediately said, "I can't believe I said that".

She told me not to worry about it.

For the next 30 minutes I was in that room and said "I can't believe I said that" three times.

Why would I, who am pretty PC, reply with something that is so out of the ordinary (for me)? I admit that I was bored and frustrated at the person asking the questions, but that is no excuse.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 600
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    My sisters partner is asian and when she was pregnant she had a craving for chocolate. I was on my way to the shop and she asked me to pick her some up. To which i replied "keep eating chocolate like you're doing and that baby is going to come out brown" I'll let you wonder who laughed the loudest.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,341
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    My friend was speaking to someone about JLS lauching their range of condoms in different colour packs. Someone then asked 'are they coloured?' meaning the condoms but the horror on peoples faces for a second when they thought she meant the band was hilarious
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    MrQuikeMrQuike Posts: 18,175
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    Gasp,:eek::eek::eek:

    Mind you I've dropped a few clangers.:)
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    MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    normal = "i'm heterosexual but dont care how other people get their thrills" would be how i view the comment but i dont fancy spending 30 minutes hyper analysing every word i say to ensure i could not cause any offense. plus you made a basic PC mistake you mentioned her gender and since the physical differences between sexes are not of direct importance you have stereotyped her ;)
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    grahamzxygrahamzxy Posts: 11,920
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    Angel Dust wrote: »
    My friend was speaking to someone about JLS lauching their range of condoms in different colour packs. Someone then asked 'are they coloured?' meaning the condoms but the horror on peoples faces for a second when they thought she meant the band was hilarious

    That is very funny - the term coloured is not used in polite company these days - but doesn't it sound less harsh than black?
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    RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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    I think you're over-analysing.

    (*titter* :o)

    'Normal' is just so routinely common way of referring to the thing most done, it's easy to just slip out.

    (**double titterage** :o:o)
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 652
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    I once said to someone who was leaving to go to her grandfather's funeral "Have a great time."
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    RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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    NeilyM wrote: »
    I once said to someone who was leaving to go to her grandfather's funeral "Have a great time."

    :D

    I asked a colleague earlier this week if she'd enjoyed her weekend. She said yes in general, apart from her grandfather's funeral (which I'd completely forgotten about :o:o:o).
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    jswift909jswift909 Posts: 11,360
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    But the difference is, 1066andallthat, that you recognised right away that it wasn't the best word to use; whilst so many don't recognise just how offensive that word is. So I'd say it was just a slip, and I'm gay and I've made plenty of slips in my time too.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,664
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    NeilyM wrote: »
    I once said to someone who was leaving to go to her grandfather's funeral "Have a great time."

    ex mate (not coz of this though) a few years ago came back from his sisters funeral and i was sort of busy playing pool and not paying attention to what i was saying and i said "so you had a good time then?"

    he looked at me and burst into laughter and then tears, not the best thing ive ever done.
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    RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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    jswift909 wrote: »
    But the difference is, 1066andallthat, that you recognised right away that it wasn't the best word to use; whilst so many don't recognise just how offensive that word is.

    I don't think it's offensive, particularly in the context of the scenario the OP describes where their guard was already down through their increasing apathy and uncomfortableness of the situation in the first place.
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    MamboJimboMamboJimbo Posts: 4,382
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    I'm 50 and regard myself as pretty PC correct.

    You're politically correct correct?

    No, I don't think I've ever said anything as crass as that :D
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    Johnny CashJohnny Cash Posts: 1,901
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    Pointing at her belly I once asked a lady I know how long she had to go before she expected to have her baby.

    She replied that she'd had it three months prior.
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    SentenzaSentenza Posts: 12,114
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    I was in the emergency room with my 92 year old nan and her hearing was very bad and these two big women nurses went past and she shouted to me "look at the size of those 2 aren't they fat!" And they heard it clearly.
    I felt so embarassed I just wanted to hide :D
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,053
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    I wouldn't beat myself up about it if I were you. No one was offended, no harm done.

    Sometimes I think that people try to project this image of how "PC" and forward thinking they are when it isn't their natural state of mind. They do it so that others can see how sympathetic they are to the plight of the put upon. I don't mean you in particular OP, although, maybe deep down you do see being straight as "normal"?

    My brother's gay and the amount of people who say to me that it's fine with them is unreal. I'm like yeah, I'm sure he'd appreciate your approval. To me the fact that someone is comfortable around gay people, or comfortable enough to drink in a gay pub isn't even worthy of note. It's as unremarkable to me as someone who is comfortable around straight folk.
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    stevensdrsstevensdrs Posts: 1,705
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    Pointing at her belly I once asked a lady I know how long she had to go before she expected to have her baby.

    She replied that she'd had it three months prior.

    I've done that one too. :o
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    &#272;irona&#272;irona Posts: 15,881
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    My sisters partner is asian and when she was pregnant she had a craving for chocolate. I was on my way to the shop and she asked me to pick her some up. To which i replied "keep eating chocolate like you're doing and that baby is going to come out brown" I'll let you wonder who laughed the loudest.

    lmao

    that's a good un!
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    ribtickleribtickle Posts: 6,361
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    So, a few days ago, I had to answer questions to fill in a form. The woman asking the questions insisted on asking each question followed by all options. She was droning on and on and I was getting bored.

    She asked what is my sexuality, then started reading out the options. Before she got too far, I blurted out 'Normal'.

    What sort of form was this? The question's personally invasive enough without someone reading out the options and demanding an answer.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,417
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    What were the options ?
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    1066andallthat1066andallthat Posts: 1,793
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    Maxatoria wrote: »
    normal = "i'm heterosexual but dont care how other people get their thrills" would be how i view the comment but i dont fancy spending 30 minutes hyper analysing every word i say to ensure i could not cause any offense. plus you made a basic PC mistake you mentioned her gender and since the physical differences between sexes are not of direct importance you have stereotyped her ;)

    The reason I did that is because, in English, we have no gender neutral pronoun. Hence all the he/she nonsense that some people write.

    I wish we could come up with a gender neutral pronoun.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,623
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    Pointing at her belly I once asked a lady I know how long she had to go before she expected to have her baby.

    She replied that she'd had it three months prior.

    I've done his too, but the person I'd said it too had her 'baby' six years ago. She'd just put on a lot weight and was standing with her hands pressed into the small of her back. :o
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    1066andallthat1066andallthat Posts: 1,793
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    grahamzxy wrote: »
    That is very funny - the term coloured is not used in polite company these days - but doesn't it sound less harsh than black?

    Not to black people.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,664
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    Jennymoo wrote: »
    I wouldn't beat myself up about it if I were you. No one was offended, no harm done.

    Sometimes I think that people try to project this image of how "PC" and forward thinking they are when it isn't their natural state of mind. They do it so that others can see how sympathetic they are to the plight of the put upon. I don't mean you in particular OP, although, maybe deep down you do see being straight as "normal"?

    My brother's gay and the amount of people who say to me that it's fine with them is unreal. I'm like yeah, I'm sure he'd appreciate your approval. To me the fact that someone is comfortable around gay people, or comfortable enough to drink in a gay pub isn't even worthy of note. It's as unremarkable to me as someone who is comfortable around straight folk.

    yeah people have said that to me "your gay? oh im fine with that" right well what im a meant to say to that, thank them for being so open minded? congratulate them on being decent folk? you just cant say owt back so theres a awkward smile and nine times out of ten they will break the tension with a "gay" joke and that tells me all i really need to know!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,417
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    I wish we could come up with a gender neutral pronoun.

    You could use It
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    1066andallthat1066andallthat Posts: 1,793
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    MamboJimbo wrote: »
    You're politically correct correct?

    No, I don't think I've ever said anything as crass as that :D

    Yes, I regard myself as Hyper PC! :rolleyes:

    Or, as Albert Einstein would have said:

    1066andallthat = mPC2 (can't do superscript in DigitalSpy).
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