Book - Dilemma

Working on the final text for the next Scottish rallying book covering the 1990s has raised a dilemma or two. It concerns political correctness or ‘woke’ as it is being called these days. Now I don’t know what woke means, and neither does the Oxford English dictionary, but it spells trouble for journalists and authors.

Take for instance the question of nudity, or semi nudity. I have had to discard quite a few foties showing half naked men but given we live in a society which supposedly promotes free speech and the right to express opinions, should I discard them? Scotland is particularly prone to such depraved scenes, all it takes is the merest peep of the sun from behind the perpetual clouds for men to discard their overalls, shirts and string vests in order to soak up the rays.

The other topic is rather more contentious. I had to discard another couple of pics, one showing a toddler in arms while his parent held a champagne bottle to his mouth, although the bottle was empty, and the other featured another toddler in arms with his face slabbered in chocolate.

Years ago in more common sensiblity times such pics would be allowed, one for the women to slever over and the other for parents and grandparents to go “Aw, ain’t that cute.”

Question is, should I publish and be damned, or should I chicken out?