Current Events > What's your way of calling people out on problematic jokes?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Let's say a close friend or family member tells a sexist/racist/homophobic/transphobic/etc joke, and you decide to call them out because it made you uncomfortable. What's your way of doing that?

Let's say it's a friend or family member who you already know doesn't like to be called out, but it still made you uncomfortable and you want them to know. Does that change anything?


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If it's at work: that's a funny joke, I think I'll email it to the PTA to share it
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nothanks1 posted...

If it's at work: that's a funny joke, I think I'll email it to the PTA to share it

XD that's hilarious. I used to do something similar, where I would tell my coworkers, "That's really funny, you should tell it to [manager on duty]

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MFW someone tells a sexist/racist/homophobic/transphobic/etc joke

D:

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My step dad is particularly annoyed with BLM because he feels targeted. This has made him more openly racist than ever before. I don't really know how to respond.

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I don't really give that much of a shit. I'll probably just not laugh at it.

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deupd_u posted...

MFW someone tells a sexist/racist/homophobic/transphobic/etc joke

D:

I'm not saying these types of jokes can't ever be funny with the right motivation, or that there isn't a time and place for anything, or even not to know one's audience. I'm just saying that for those instances where someone does go pretty far past the line (maybe even repeatedly) and you do decide to say something, how would you go about doing that?

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nothanks1 posted...

If it's at work: that's a funny joke, I think I'll email it to the PTA to share it

You must be real popular.

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I live in small city where most people support Bolsonaro (the brazilian equivalent of Trump), so I can't do anything when someone makes those kind of jokes

Kolibri X posted...

You must be real popular.

I work in one of the top 20 schools in the country
There is zero fucking tolerance for saying shit that the students could overhear and report back to their entitled parents
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Kolibri X posted...

You must be real popular.

Maybe they are popular? You're judging them by a pretty clever quip they use when someone makes them uncomfortable. They seem like a fun person to be around to me. Especially because I do prefer a workplace where people aren't outwardly offensive.

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Just dead eye stare. After a few seconds they'll ask if it was funny. Ask them to explain it. Make them say why it is "funny".

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Joker98 posted...

Maybe they are popular?

I think my X button broke.

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Kolibri X posted...

I think my X button broke.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I get the impression that, since you dislike them purely for opposing problematic jokes, that you make a lot of problematic jokes yourself?

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I don't think anyone has ever literally reported anyone since I've started working here
The point of me saying that to them is that it's a lighter way of saying 'stop saying that'.

There really is zero tolerance for certain jokes in general here. Simply because of the fact we're working with teenagers. Even beyond that we still don't need somebody in the closest hearing a gay joke because that only kills their desire to come out even more
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Joker98 posted...

Let's say a close friend or family member tells a sexist/racist/homophobic/transphobic/etc joke,

Hmmm... Okay..
[Continues reading]

and you decide to call them out because it made you uncomfortable.

Already full stop.

Why would I do that? Why would I feel in any way remotely uncomfortable? If the joke was funny, then it's funny. After a good hearty laugh, I'm just going to go on about my day.

What's your way of doing that?

I'll only call them out if the joke was lame or overdone without any semblance of nuance. It's like, what the fuck are you doing? Where's the punchline? Yeah, better leave the humor stuffs for the funny people, dude.

Let's say it's a friend or family member who you already know doesn't like to be called out, but you still want them to know. Does that change anything?

I don't give a fuck who it is. It doesn't change shit. I can handle confrontation. If they can't handle constructive critiques then they shouldn't have open their fucking mouths.

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I just don't because it's usually a lost cause

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I just get a tap on the shoulder from the boss. He laughs and says don't say that again

Then I find another joke later on

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I deal with problematic jokes the same way I extinguish frozen fires

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Is this still about that same dude? You haven't just dealt with it by now?

I don't really get uncomfortable. I've heard some nasty stuff, some of it wasn't even humor. I'm not the type to call people out, if I don't like it, I simply don't associate with that person anymore. But at the end of the day, I view people as utility so it doesn't matter to me. As long as you make yourself useful.

I've never experienced this from friends. The few people I thought of as such anyway. They were all very kind to me, even though I was always a very difficult person. If I HAD to, I would just tell them directly that it's going to become a serious issue if they joke around like that. If they persisted, I would remove them from my life. I do not give second chances.

My family is of no concern. They do not wish to talk to me. The feeling is mutual.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8yV8xUorQ8

George Carlin's take on this is pretty good.

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I dont because I can take a joke

I start screaming "YALL literally YALL YALL YALL YALL!!!!" over and over while violently shaking tables and throwing shit to the floor.

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I whip out a banana and viciously beat them with it. Then comes the rubber chicken.

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not laughing or just ignoring them, which usually isn't hard because the jokes are typically not funny at all and essentially just "haha black people"

the people in my life who make these kinds of jokes typically do it to try and get a rise out of people. for anyone whose intention i was less sure of, i guess i'd try and point at what is supposed to be humorous about their "joke" and how it is really just hateful mockery

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