If youve ever spent time in a Facebook comments thread, its easy to be confused about whether being PC is a good thing or not. There are lots of people in either camp, all ready to passionately defend their positions. But what does it all mean? Has political correctness gone too far, or do we just need a reminder about what being PC actually means?

In a nutshell, political correctness means avoiding language and actions that insult, exclude or harm people who are already experiencing disadvantage and discrimination. Some everyday examples of politically correct behaviour include:

When people complain about political correctness gone mad, its usually because they associate being PC with being unable to act and behave as they please. Oftentimes, people who practise political correctness are accused of denying other people the right to free speech, or of sucking the fun out of everything.

The argument that being PC prevents freedom of speech is flawed. Freedom of speech gives a person the right to say what they feel, but it also gives other people the right to point out if they are being offensive. Freedom of speech doesnt mean your words cant be criticised; it just means you cant be silenced.

Some people also ignore political correctness for the sake of having a laugh. When someone jokes about a group theyre not a part of, their words can contribute to discrimination against that group. The person who is making the joke doesnt have a lot to lose, but the people who are the butt of the joke often do.

Political correctness is an important idea that protects people who are vulnerable to discrimination, but it can be misunderstood.

When model Kendall Jenner did a photoshoot for Vogue magazine dressed as a ballerina, it ruffled a few feathers. There were complaints that the photoshoot was offensive because it appropriated the ballerina culture. Some people felt that the photoshoot robbed ballerinas of work they were more qualified for than Jenner.

This incident wasnt a case of cultural appropriation, because dancers and ballet culture werent being discriminated against, and ballerinas arent an oppressed group of people, unlike groups whove experienced discrimination and disadvantages in many ways, such as Aboriginal Australians or women.

Political correctness is intended to help us use language that helps instead of harms. Whether the discrimination comes from racism, homophobia, sexism or transphobia, the bottom line remains the same. Being PC just means you understand that your actions affect people who are vulnerable to discrimination. While things can occasionally get out of hand when people forget what certain concepts such as cultural appropriation mean, its important that were all aware of the effects of our actions and words.

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What's the deal with political correctness? - ReachOut Australia