A good article, BarryW, thank you. I am reminded of Peter Ustinov, who created all kinds of trouble for himself by referring to himself as "pink" on the forms when entering America, especially as it was during the McCarthy times!!! I also used to know a woman who was accused by some of her colleagues of being "not black enough" to be classed as black, but not white. That was when I worked for the ghastly-pc-totally-mad-and-bonkers (yes, it was left wing) local authority some years ago which banned the use of the phrase "black coffee".....!!!!! There is some sense in the article, and some lessons to be learned from the experiences of my ex-colleague (neither black not white...) and of others - but there is still some room for the understanding of the offence genuinely caused by some words and phrases. Words really matter, and are so often used to keep people in their places that we need to use some care when applying them. Care, not fanaticism; caution, not censorship. I think we may agree, BarryW!!!
