Does Political Correctness Interfere with Free Speech?
The short answer is no.
For the long answer, let’s first define both terms. Freedom of speech is the right to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions based on content and subject only to reasonable limitations. It means that you are free to say whatever you want, within reasonable limits delineated by government, without fear of prosecution. Political correctness means avoiding words or behaviors that exclude, marginalize or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against because of their gender, sexual orientation, race, class or disability. Essentially, it is being respectful.
So, while freedom of speech is a legal right to say what you want, it doesn’t exempt you from experiencing the social or interpersonal consequences of what you say. The problem is that people who are from dominant groups, particularly white, heterosexual, and male-identified, have historically not experienced any negative consequences from saying or doing whatever they want. So, they often equate freedom of speech with freedom from any negative consequences of what they say or do.
That is changing as marginalized groups and their allies are increasingly speaking up and being believed about the harm they experience in relation to people’s words or actions. Society is evolving its capacity and willingness to hold individuals and organizations accountable for their behavior. And this is a good thing! This is called feedback, and it helps us to grow in our capacity to live out our Unitarian Universalist principles, specifically the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and justice, equity and compassion in human relations.
Feedback in regards to how we can live our values more fully is a gift. Author and academic, Robin DiAngelo, helps us to learn how to welcome and integrate feedback in her book, White Fragility. She writes:
“Racism is the norm rather than an aberration. Feedback is key to our ability to recognize and repair our inevitable and often unaware collusion. In recognition of this, I try to follow these guidelines: 1. How, where, and when you give me feedback is irrelevant — it is the feedback I want and need. Understanding that it is hard to give, I will take it any way I can get it. From my position of social, cultural, and institutional white power and privilege, I am perfectly safe and I can handle it. If I cannot handle it, it’s on me to build my racial stamina. 2. Thank you. The above guidelines rest on the understanding that there is no face to save and the game is up; I know that I have blind spots and unconscious investments in racism. My investments are reinforced every day in mainstream society. I did not set this system up, but it does unfairly benefit me, I do use it to my advantage, and I am responsible for interrupting it. I need to work hard to change my role in this system, but I can’t do it alone. This understanding leads me to gratitude when others help me.”
When someone complains that political correctness is taking away their freedom of speech, what they are really saying is that they refuse to accept feedback about the impact of their words or actions on others. They are denying the interdependence of all humans and resisting the call into right relationship. Using your right of free speech as a way of justifying harmful or bigoted language is an intentional strategy to shut down those harmed and interferes with their right of free speech.
So no, my request for political correctness does not interfere with your freedom of speech. It is an invitation to learn about and take responsibility for the impact of your words and actions on more vulnerable members of our community.
