While experts agree that now is the time to focus on the long-standing gender divide in literacy, their explanation for it , and their solutions, vary widely. In a culture that favors equal opportunity and advocates political correctness, some have found it difficult to discuss this troubling gender gap without entering into the touchy domain of sexism.
What is the meaning of the underlined part?
'Political correctness', taking care to use only language and behaviour deemed to be non-discriminatory, non-judgemental, is often used in a negative way to poke fun at people who take this approach to extremes. It is not necessarily used negatively in your sentence.