Author: McKhelyn Jones

Political correctness is defined as “conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated.” Dictionary.com defines trigger warnings as, “a stated warning that the content of a text, video, etc., may upset or offend some people, especially those who have previously experienced a related trauma.” Trigger warnings and political correctness are both seen as threatening to the educational environment across the U.S. because they  keep students and faculty from discussing difficult topics. Most students attending university have heard the term political correctness, or PC, at least once. It usually precedes a sensitive topic discussed in class and generally comes with a “trigger warning.” This is to alert students that the following topic may be difficult to discuss and is an invitation to turn away or leave the classroom. This practice seems harmless enough, but researchers have noted it may be doing more harm than good. “As a psychiatrist, I nonetheless have to question whether trigger warnings are in … students’ best interests,” said Sarah Roff, a fourth-year resident of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington Medical Center., “One of the cardinal symptoms of PTSD is avoidance, which can become the most impairing symptom of all,” Roff said. This raises interesting questions about trigger warnings and political correctness because Roff notes that these...