We might have noticed that comedy/memes have been thriving globally in the last decade with the increased use of social media. With the increased approach and acceptance of comedy as a means of entertainment, nowadays we find numerous stand-up comedians releasing videos or doing theatres/sitcoms and trying to make a career in the field.
Since the comedian-career options are being welcomed by the common people, the comedians need to be funny and very creative, leading to the formation of humor genres.
One of the genres which we come across is disparaging humor (commonly called ridiculed or sarcastic comedy) in which jokes are made on a specific group of people based on stereotypes. These stereotypical jokes are basically, the humor based on sexism, racism, body-shaming, etc. Since these things are relevant, relatable, and experienced in day-to-day life, people find it funny and laugh.
Our So-Called Popular Successful Comedy Shows: The Epitome Of Sexist Humor
Let us have some discussion about the very famous “The Kapil Sharma Show” running for more than 7 years on our television.
The whole concept of the show is based on disparaging humor, trying to make the audience laugh at its jokes based on sexism, racism, body-shaming, and that too mostly about women. Be it, Archana Puran Singh for her manly built-up, or the Character of Sumona for her bigger lips and height, or the multiple characters of Kiku and Bharathi for their body with some extra kilograms.
But, how many of us find it funny? Maybe some group of people find it funny, but is it also not hurting the sentiments of some specific group of people?
The characters in shows like this are heavily paid and hence they are ready to take the jokes on themselves, and so they are not the part of the common people.
Now, here I have a question when such things are so easily said, by widely accepted celebrities or public figures, does it not, bring a forced acceptance for these elements in the form of jokes in the society.
Dominant ‘Wife’ Jokes, Seriously? In a Country Where Women Barely Have a Voice?
Many times, the celebrities and the audiences are forced to accept that they have so much fear from their wives, by putting a finger in their mouth, in the show. And the worst part is many of them accept it and people find them funny and laugh. If such was the condition, why even today, we have a male dominating society.
As per one of the surveys that I recently read, the percentage of male dominance in household decisions is still more than 50%, even in the middle class and the upper-middle-class society. If such is the condition in the middle and upper class, one could easily imagine the case of the lower class of the society.
So, where does the question of women’s dominance and fear from wives arises?
Are Sexist Mysoginist Jokes Another Effective Way Of Patriarchy To Demean Women?
Recently, I got a disparaging joke forward in my family WhatsApp group.
The joke seems funny, maybe that’s why it became a hit, but rarely, somebody thought that this joke was just another way to showcase how women are not as competent as men in flying a plane. Innumerable jokes on women’s driving and flying skills make us wonder if a segment of our society still living in the 1800s. With the great inspiring woman pilots like – Gunjan Saxena, Bhawana Kanth, Captain Ritu Rathee Taneja, Ayesha Aziz, Anny Divya – it is heart-wrenching how many find this sexist joke relatable and funny!
In many other jokes, while men are stereotyped as high achievers, ambitious, focus on task accomplishment, and committed, women, are stereotyped as make-up freaks, shopaholics, or domineering.
Another type of sexist joke about how women can’t stop gossiping! While women are made fun of for their gossiping nature, it was men who started yellow Journalism. Major tabloids all over the world have predominantly male journalists. But who cares?
Impact Of Misogynist Jokes On Women
One research says that when men crack jokes about women, the women either tried to force accept these jokes as just a part of humor or try to prove herself by going the extra mile. While the same sexist jokes were done about men by women colleagues, many of the men were found to be very angry and revengeful about those particular women.
The above research very clearly tells us that nobody likes to be made fun of based on their sex, race, and body. So, why women are the victims, and why they are called intolerant, if they ask the questions.
Humor is there to reduce stress, improve social relations, generate a positive mood and increase motivation and I feel it should spread, in the same form while not hurting anybody’s sentiments.
So, dear society, please stop finding humor in sexist jokes! Because they ain’t funny! They are distasteful!