These days it almost seems as though it is a crime to care. If you stand up to someone or call them out for being out of line, you are instantly labeled as triggered and overly sensitive. Last Halloween I even saw a “Triggered Millennial” costume which consisted of wrapping bubble wrap around the person to poke fun at their supposed fragility. Despite criticism and jokes, the truth is clear, people are sick and tired of insensitive and discriminatory behavior. It is not a matter of sensitivity but one of awareness and attention.

You can hardly go a day or even a few ours without seeing someone being called out on social media for saying something offensive. Critics say that overly sensitive millennials are the problem but in reality it is the other way around. Young people today have simply been raised to be intolerant to bigoted behavior and even society as a whole is moving in the same direction.

In an age where everyone in connected all day at the touch of a button, people can more freely express their thoughts and opinions. This makes way for people to be educated on issues and see from others’ perspectives. In turn people have become more attentive and aware.

When slurs or jokes poking fun at people for their situation, race or other aspects are thrown around, they are quickly met with opposition. For example, in recent controversy, popular clothing brand H&M sold a short that read “coolest monkey in the jungle” and had it modeled by a child of African descent. As expected, social media exploded with a barrages of angry comments and demands to have the shirt discontinued. Users pointed out the glaring racist connotation of the shirt and the history of the slur relating people of color to primates.

The people standing up to the bigotry are not the issue. The fact of the matter is, these things have always been offensive but with time and education people finally have the knowledge and voice to point it out. It really is a sign of the times, insensitive older generations have been conditioned to accept are simply not welcomed by the younger and progressive crowd.

The people combating this behavior are not the problem but rather the solution. A society that advocates for each other and fights back against bigotry can hardly be called a bad thing. Triggered is not the right word, but instead “aware”. Aware of the power of words and actions and the effect they can have.