Stereotypical Joking
What do you think of homophobic/ racist/ sexist jokes (incl. other stereotypical terms)? The three views are:
1. It helps spread discrimination
2. They shouldn't be taken seriously because it really jokes about how ignorant people are to take them seriously.
3. The person guilty of making the joke doesn't know how much hurt it can cause to another.
Is the statement, "What a Jew?!" funny because it's just another term, with the word "Jew" meaning something inferior since it's supposed to be a subject-- subconsciously or bluntly? Does it offend anyone because of the persecution and mass genocide of millions of people of Jewish decent? Or when people view it as offensive, does it mean that they look too hard into statements when it's meant a harmless joke, clearly stated by the individual making it?
Just like the statement, "What's up, Nigger?!" when two friends (doesn't matter what their ethnicity is) see each other and say this as a greeting. Though the original term "Nigger" was meant to describe someone who was a thief, it was morphed into a slang for people of African decent. Again, should this be insulting because of the many years of slave-laboring or do people look too hard into innocent statements? Even within this definition, it only addresses this term as a racial slang because it was derived from the word "Niger", which means "dark- skinned". Also, is it alright for two people of African decent to say this to each other or is it acceptable because they know it isn't making fun of each other?
The most common statement we hear on the streets is, "That is SO gay!". It is obvious that we think of homosexuality instead of the primary meaning of "happy". When someone makes a statement such as this, are they really using the term "Gay" as an equivalent to "stupid" or referring to that term as somehow being inferior? Should people feel upset when they hear this statement, especially if the person is homosexual/ bisexual (in or out of "the closet" not an issue)or is it only a joke? What if people don't know that they are making others uncomfortable- does it make joking to this degree okay as long as nothing harmful is meant by the person saying it?
Do all of these jokes send harsh messages to the youth of today and give them negative images of the groups being degraded or is it an issue that really shouldn't even offend people? Does it affect the youth and help solidify discriminatory views or is it not taken seriously at all? (Should it be?) Do you think today's views have been changed about these stereotypes through society being exposed to diversity and only today's definitions of these words should be what they mean, or do the subliminal discriminatory meanings still actively linger?
What about Blonde jokes? Do you think they are funny or offensive, or both? If you are offended by the above terms but not blonde jokes, why are you only offended by certain stereotypes?
Do all these jokes isolate categories of people to make fun of them or are these jokes light- hearted with the satirical intent to make fun of those who are ignorant of diversity? Or can these people making the jokes be considered ignorant for not knowing that others are offended? The issue is whether of not someone should feel offended by this way of joking.