Some of you may have seen this eCard floating around social media:
It is often accompanied by captions such as "hilarious. And true, don't try to blame genes for your poor choices."
Are your feelings hurt yet? Because mine sure are.
You know why? Because I have diabetes and heart disease runs in my family, and we also tend to be overweight (though certainly not obese).Some things are a matter of genetics. I have tried to become a runner and I hate running. Just because I don't run doesn't mean I'm not an active person. And this joke not only attacks me, but my family. Like somehow it is my uncle's fault that he got the "running sugars" as a toddler. Like somehow my Grandparents, who survived the Great Depression, World War II, and raising seven kids on a schoolteacher's income, could have changed the course of their family's medical future by...what? Eating differently? OUT OF THEIR GARDEN???
Oh, society. You think you know so much about this disease.
It reminds me of that one friend on facebook who posted, so long ago now I can't even find in on her timeline, about how "funny" she thought it was that a Diabetes magazine had sugar cookies on the front cover. Like, what, I'm not supposed to be able to eat cookies just because I have this incurable disease that is affected by sugar?
That's like telling a little girl with cancer that she can't wear a headband because she doesn't have any hair--oh, that struck a nerve. I know it did. Why? Because the two things you don't mess with in this society are children and cancer. For some reason, it's just not okay to joke about cancer.
But, you see, it is okay to joke about diabetes. Even on television.
Should have known that if my husband and I were going to start watching (and loving) a show from BYUtv, at some point it would make me seething mad and incredibly, emotionally wounded.
Great, just great. Candyland becomes Diabetesland. Oh, that's funny.
NOT.
And you know what? I'm not even offended because I am a diabetic and therefore supposed to be fat, ugly, and never allowed to eat any sugar, ever. I am offended for all of those children out there who have to wear insulin pumps to school and check their blood sugar while the rest of the class heads out to recess. Those who only get candy when their blood sugar is low and they are feeling confused, nauseous, shaky, and scared. Those whose parents never get to sleep through the night because they always have to wake up at least once to check their child's ketone levels. The kids who don't really have a choice, even if they are terrified of needles. You think one shot a year for the flu is bad? You think it is hard to watch your child get immunized? Try being the one giving your child a shot four to six times daily. Just to keep him or her alive.
Please, think a little next time you go to laugh at their expense.
Some things just aren't funny.
Word. I defriend some people who posted this joke. Not because I was offended but because I didn't want to be influenced by people who so insensitive.
ReplyDeleteI thought I had seen all of the funniest Studio C skits until that Candyland one. It is easily in the top five funniest all time. Thanks for sharing it! I read your post and can see some of your points but I'm not going to lose my sense of humor because you can't laugh things off. Diabetes is a serious disease, I have a friend that has suffered from it his whole life but the best thing about him is that he doesn't let himself get depressed over this miserable disease but chooses to see the Good in the World just like the BYU TV ad says.
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DeleteI guess it could be funny if you aren't dealing with the side effects of that serious disease everyday. I do think the show is funny, but that skit was done in very poor taste. I do have a sense of humor, but I guess to me it isn't humor if it comes at the expense of others. Thank you for proving my point with this post.
DeleteSorry, Marinda.
ReplyDeleteGou was put on medication when she was young (and skinny as a bean pole), and then she put on a lot of weight, and has really struggled with it since then. She has lost a lot, but hasn't gotten back to where she was when she was a little girl(or where she would be, now, if it hadn't been for that medication). I remember her talking about how people judged her for not being active, when she was active! She is hard working and self-motivated (not to mention such a loving, compassionate person), which is the opposite of what some would label her at a glance.
I have had friends post really offensive things (like one of Graydon's friends posting a link that said anyone on government assistance should be sterilized or given birth control implants). It is so difficult to have compassion for someone when we haven't lived through what they're living through.
Thank heaven we have the Savior for an example, both to discern whether we could be hurting someone, and when we are suffering because of someone else's indiscretion.
I love you, my friend! I'm glad I'm back from my blog fast, so I can catch up on your posts!
I am glad you are back too! I have missed you!
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