Every day in the media we hear about ‘woke’ – which has become a pejorative to slam those seen by some as too politically correct. Those too aware of issues pertaining to social justice and racism within our communities. Usually, older white males ranting in a bid to protect their overly large slice of the cake. No privileged domain is big enough for these blokes – they want it all. Language is something most people don’t think about until someone tells them that a few words they might use are threatened by their association with social injustice. Thus, the premise that white wedding dresses might be an example of white privilege at work is not so very far-fetched.
Colours Have Never Been More Dangerous
Well, white wedding dresses: Are they white privilege at work? I can see young brides clutching at their silk and taffeta creations to ward off any woke fundamentalists in the neighbourhood. There are lots of people who just don’t want to consider the plight of anyone but themselves and their ilk. They care about their traditions to the exclusion of all else, even if they are built on bastions of unfairness and injustice. Nothing matters as long as the bride feels luxurious on her special day. The political association with terms like white and black has come sharply into focus in 2020 and beyond. Colours have never been more edgy and potentially dangerous.
Can’t They Take a Joke!
Blokes think to themselves can’t these socially marginalised groups take a joke. Scrabble has banned a list of offensive words like Paki, Fenian, and Shiksha from their official rules of the game. The world is turning and many white, well fed folk are up in arms at these mooted changes. How dare they remove these offensive terms from the modern lexicon. Will the white wedding dress be next for the chop? The virginal potency of a white wedding gown stands out like a flapping flag. Are virgins racist by their uniform and association? The fact that colours have been weighted down by cultural associations is a topic within itself, but those affronted take them on face value. A slur is a slur whether it be logical or not. Guilt by association is a part of the laws governing conspiracy.
Master bedrooms and bathrooms are slave terms and an insult to those who were debased by this institution, which lasted for millennia. It was only a 150 years ago, which is nothing in historical terms, that slavery flourished in the United States of America. The Masters tournament in golf should likewise change its name. ‘Cakewalk’ is another slave term referring to a dance performed by black slaves. Lynching, uppity, black mark, blackball, and sold down the river are all terms still used, which are deeply insulting to African Americans. If your ancestor was abused through slavery or another institutionalised injustice you would not want to be reminded of that via everyday language, whether the people using these terms were conscious of it or not.
