political correctness

[John Dirks Jr]

Had an agent tell me today they are beginning to stop calling it a master bedroom for concern of offending someone. Also, can't call it a lazy Susan. Wouldn't wanna imply that Susan is lazy ya know.

Have you heard this on your end?

[Bill Kibbel]

It's been creeping in for about 15-18 years. There's some published listing guidelines stating that one should describe features on the property - not describe what type of person or how a person would use those features.

The first to begin to disappear is "master" - now it's "owner's suite".

It's not a "walk-in closet" for someone who can't walk.

They're not "his and her closets" for a same-sex couple.

It's not a "great view" to a buyer that can't see.

Even more strict are lists of words that are prohibited in real estate listing ads by newspaper publishers.

[Jerry Simon]

It's been creeping in for about 15-18 years. There's some published listing guidelines stating that one should describe features on the property - not describe what type of person or how a person would use those features.

The first to begin to disappear is "master" - now it's "owner's suite".

It's not a "walk-in closet" for someone who can't walk.

They're not "his and her closets" for a same-sex couple.

It's not a "great view" to a buyer that can't see.

Even more strict are lists of words that are prohibited in real estate listing ads by newspaper publishers.

Longer than that; we were pandering to such back pre-1980 when I was an active RE broker. You listed, almost word for word, the other no-nos.

On a side note, my grandpa was a realtor/builder. He had a book in his office titled "Yes, Women Can Sell Real Estate" (circa 1950). Wish I woulda kept it.

[Mark P]

For awhile, when I was in the Air Force, there was talk about not calling it a "cockpit" anymore, because the female pilots do not have cocks. I always argued that while they may not have cocks the do have there own cock pits (hahaha I keep myself entertained). I think they're called Flight Decks now. If someone wants to be offended they can always find reason to be offended, I typically roll my eyes at political correctness.

On another note toward the end of my Military carrier I was corrected almost daily when referring to the dining facility as the chow hall.

[hausdok]

On another note toward the end of my Military carrier I was corrected almost daily when referring to the dining facility as the chow hall.

Yeah,

It had gotten to be too much. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was when one of my guys finished up a shift at Kimpo and decided on his way back to the barracks that he'd stop in the redlight district overnight. As it happened, the Provost Marshal and Brigade Commander were both walking through the redlight district to check on patrols and get an overall feel for troop activity during A**hole Hour - the four hour period between midnight when the bars closed in Itaiwan and they reopened at 4:00 a.m. - and they saw the car.

I went up one side of that troop and down the other behind a triple-thick steel vault door inside of a concrete block room for about fifteen minutes, during which the Colonel walked out of his office 50 yards away and asked his secretary, "Do you hear yelling somewhere?" That night the C.O., who was about half my age, called me in and told me that I'd "invaded that soldier's personal space" and that, "You're a dinosaur, Sergeant O, we don't do that anymore. You're lucky I don't have you up on charges."

I told him to put in my retirement papers and went in to sign them the next morning. Retired 365 days later - three days later I opened my company in Seattle.

Pretty soon, when officers and NCOs in the new military are reduced to asking soldiers for permission to be able to shout to them with a sense of urgency, we're gonna be getting our a**es handed to us by folks who couldn't care less about political correctness.

I call it a master bedroom and a walk-in closet. If the agents don't like it, they can lump it; they're not the one writing the report anyway.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Phillip]

I'm too much of a redneck to be political correct. Master bedrooms and master bathrooms will be listed that way in my reports

[Nolan Kienitz]

Same here as Mike O. and Phillip !!!!!

They (PC Cops) can "just get over it".

[John Dirks Jr]

Could you imagine telling the mechanics in the garage they have to start renaming car parts. I can think of a few car part names that might fall into the politically incorrect category.

(think hydraulic clutch disengagement systems and related)

[Mike Lamb]

I've never had a murmur about using traditional vernacular. There are alot more real problems in my hood.

[rkenney]

The Language Police

How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn

by Diane Ravitch. Paperback edition, 2004. 271 pages. ISBN: 1-4000- 3064-1.

Vintage Books, 1745 Broadway, New York City, New York 10019.

or just read the review - http://www.textbookleague.org/124ravbk.htm

[Jim Morrison]

They're not "his and hers" closets in my bedroom and I even Massachusetts-married a woman! They're "hers and hers" and it has nothing to do with political correctness.

Of course, like everything else, language pushed to any extreme under the banner of "political correctness" becomes nonsensical, but we should still pay attention to the words we use. What was OK to say when you were twenty isn't necessarily OK now.

It's really not about language police, it's about being mindful of your audience. Never forget that you're a sales guy and you can't afford to alienate anyone.

[aab11]

[:-monkeyd

Some of the things we think of! Smile