Is it okay to make fun of others with disabilities? What if the person making fun of the other has a disability him or herself? Does it legitimize their remarks or jokes? Or is it still off-limits?
@ShaunJ72 asked us this question on twitter recently and got me thinking…
I went ahead and posed the question amongst both my personal network and on the Facebook page for my personal blog. These are a few things I heard:
“I say no, even if it’s self-deprecatory in order to make others around them more comfortable with it, or as a defense mechanism.” – Samantha
“I think it can be okay. Geri Jewell is a comedienne with CP. She jokes about it. She took away a lot of the stigma and educated at the same time.” – Cheryl
“I am a-okay with self-deprecation. Laughter at the expense of others’ feelings is obviously cruel, so we all need to be mindful of how we say what we say even when it is about ourselves.” – Juniper
“I think it’s fine for anyone to make fun of themselves. I don’t think that applies to making fun of others though…” – Jen
“Growing up with certain handicaps gives me the right to make fun of them., because it’s from the inside looking out.” – Yvonne
“Poking fun of your own is okay. None of us should take ourselves too seriously.” – Sarah
What do you think? Is it ever okay for people with disabilities to make fun of their disabilities, or the disabilities of others? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us up on the twitter!
-Dani