Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Politically Correct Pantomimes

I had a great day walking with very good friends in the Lake District yesterday. They are fitter than me so I had to suffer a degree of pain as I battled up around Dungeon Ghyll, but was spurred on by a feeling of anger.

My mate's son, who is just three years old, is going to nursery. Unbelievably when the kids sing nursery rhymes thay have to sing baa baa pink sheep rather than black sheep. I thought that crap went out with the old Greater London County Council, or was a figment of a Daily Mail journalist's hypersensitive imagination in condemning political correctness gone mad. But no, it is alive and kicking.

But that's not the only one. When they do This Little Piggy they are not allowed to say 'this little piggy had none'. Apparently it is not 'inclusive' enough and could upset the poor little darlings. I think that was the convoluted logic. What chance have we got?

Suddenly the old joke about the politically correct pantomime in Camden doesn't seem quite so funny. You know the one surely? 'Precipitation of Indeterminate Colour and the Seven Persons of Diminutive Stature'.

4 comments:

Left-footer said...

Really made me laugh, then rage.

Thanks, and God bless.

Anonymous said...

Politically correct behaviour seems to have infiltrated all walks of life none more so than our work life. I have attended meetings where I have been sent lengthy memo's before hand on how to handle and conduct myself and staff in regards to different user groups and to be inclusive of their needs in regards to making decisions.

Quiet often there can be literally dozens of these groups which is a minefield as they all have different requirements and even David Blaine could not do his magic pleasing all!

Recently I identified that the indigenous population in an area had no meetings in regards to a project but less than 5%, 1% and 3% etc of other groups had them! Was told that the 68% did not tick any of the boxes so to forget about their requirements?

I however did not ignore the 68% nor the other 32% and provided equal services for all although my boss (yes there is someone brave enough to be my boss)suggested I recorded it not alongside the others. It felt like it was a dirty secret rather than a decision based on common sense and needs. Political correctness gone mad!!

ToryKitty

Gregg said...

I was considering doing a course on teaching adult literacy a couple of years ago. Lancashire CC ran a three hour seminar on what was involved in the course. I attended.

After nearly an hour and a half we were still being lectured about not being racist, homphobic, rude to each other, talking over each other and so on.

I stood up, bluntly gave my reasons and walked out.

Gregg said...

Welcome berenike. No, absolutely true. I wish it was leg pulling.