I try to refrain from saying anything that would cause someone to have hurt feelings. I would never use racial slurs, devalue someone because of their size or sexual orientation (not talking about trans here — that is mental illness in my book), use the “n word”, etc. I’ll admit to saying something is retarded because that’s my generation talking.
Back then, if someone asked if you were “special ed,” you’d likely be offended, but you’d overlook being asked if you were retarded because the word was just different all those years ago. Now you’re supposed to say “intellectually disabled” or “a person with intellectual development disorder.” Don’t say this word… that word is ugly… say this instead… blah blah blah.
Yet, some recent TV shows are way across the line, me thinks.
Because I’ve been ordered to “do nothing” for a full week, I’ve consumed a whole lot of commercials. Many of them are advertising other shows with times so you don’t miss them.
These shows feel like modern carnival sideshows (think “bearded lady” here) to me.
- Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise: a utopia for plus sized women?
- Little Singles: follows a group of young single friends with dwarfism.
- Jay & Pamela: this is about a queer couple (Jay is a Black trans man) who both have a rare brittle bone disorder — so basically, it’s little people in wheelchairs.
Do y’all watch this shit?
If you do, why? I don’t get it!
We should treat people as whole individuals rather than reducing them to a visible trait, right? If true, it seems wrong to cast (or create entire shows) primarily around dwarfism, body size, or other physical characteristics.
In my perspective, that screams the opposite of genuine inclusion as it spotlights the specific difference as the main selling point.
Your thoughts?
Now you know: President Nixon worked for months to learn to use chopsticks, in preparation for the dinner banquets on his opening visit to the People’s Republic of China in February 1972.