Totally Offensive or Totally Awesome?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 7:00AM Last week, a certain episode of the television show Family Guy gottalottapress. The episode in question carried a storyline where teenage Chris finally asked out the girl of his dreams: Ellen, a co-ed with Down Syndrome. If you haven't watched the episode, check it out:
In short form, Chris gets ready for his date with Ellen to a song titled "Down Syndrome Girl" and then take her to dinner. Ellen (Ms. Bossy) keeps him on task, making sure he holds her chair for her and is a properly attentive date. At the end of the night, Chris breaks up with her because she is too bossy, NOT because she has Down Syndrome? Everybody clear? OK!
In one line of the show, Ellen identifies herself as the daughter of the former governor of Alaska. Cue angry politician. Former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin has a son with Down Syndrome (which I'm sure you already knew), and released a statement via her daughter Bristol Palin:
When you’re the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent. People with special needs face challenges that many of us will never confront, and yet they are some of the kindest and most loving people you’ll ever meet. Their lives are difficult enough as it is, so why would anyone want to make their lives more difficult by mocking them? As a culture, shouldn’t we be more compassionate to innocent people – especially those who are less fortunate? Shouldn’t we be willing to say that some things just are not funny? Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed. All they proved is that they’re heartless jerks. – Bristol Palin
As for me, I've said before that the majority of my family members have significant disabilities, one of which being Down Syndrome. I've seen the way my disabled siblings get derided, ignored, denied personhood, BUT I have to say that the most offensive way others relate to my siblings is to pity them. No thank you to pity. Of course, living life with a significant disability is more difficult than any healthy person can possibly imagine, but to pity someone who has a physical or mental issue is to act like they are somehow less than everyone else. Growing up, strangers would come up to my siblings with tears in their eyes and say something along the lines of... "I just had to hug you because you're so brave!"
Gag me with a super-size spoon. Nobody likes to be treated that way, and people with mental disabilties are plenty able to know when they're being patronized. You don't get your charity gold star by patting someone with Down Syndrome on the head. Truly.
Clearly, I have very strong opinions on this subject!
I am not a huge Family Guy watcher, but I checked out the episode when all the hubbub popped up last week. I was so surprised to find that I had mixed feelings on the subject! The "Down Syndrome Girl" song rubbed me a bit raw, but I saw the satire in it (revelation vs. mockery). I thought the date and break-up were great, because it hit at the thing that annoys so many mentally disabled people: pity. Personally, I am actually supportive of the episode, for the most part.
Ellen's voiceover actress - Andrea Fay Friedman (who has Down Syndrome) had this to say:
I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.” In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life.
Click here for more on what Ms. Friedman had to say.
What did you all think?
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