Jokes

[Ruby26913]

Hello! I need some advice here.

The people in my class are lovely and support me with my diabetes, but sometimes, they make Type 2 Diabetes jokes that I get offended by. My friends tease me for this and say something along the lines of, “God, just grow up a bit. No need to get so offended!” They say this is in a really sarcastic way and I’m really sensitive when it comes to my diabetes.

It gets a bit too much sometimes and I go out of classroom, pretending to “get something out of my bag”. I tell them to stop, and they ignore me or tell me the same sort of things my friends do. Am I overreacting?

Thanks, Ruby

 

[Bittern]

No your'e not. It is a form of bullying, find a sympathetic teacher and discuss it, they may be able to provide a lesson on health which incorporates the causes and possible side effects of diabetes among other illnesses. Possible illnesses to incorporate would be diabetes, asthma, and arthritis. Stay strong.

 

[Ruby26913]

Thanks

 

[zand]

Hmmmm they may live to regret those jokes. They may be diagnosed with some form of diabetes themselves later on, whether it's T2 (wouldn't that be justice huh? It's not only fat people who get T2) or LADA ( another type of diabetes that eventually usually requires insulin.) When I was a teenager I used to think that fat people were all gluttons, I learnt the hard way that this just isn't true. Now I have people judging me because I am overweight - that'll teach me lol. We can all be a bit insensitive when we are young.

Bullies like to find something that makes us different and pick on that. So they listen to what the media is saying about T2 and think it's a good idea to tease a T1 about it. It's not, it's cruel and ignorant.

Stay strong, they are the silly ones. I was teased about a broken front tooth (it was also black) when I was your age. The dentist wouldn't do anything about it until I was 16, it made me different from my friends so they teased me. It hurt lots, but I did get through it, and so will you and you will be a better person for it as you will understand others more and know how to be kind to someone who is struggling with their own particular thing that makes them different. And guess what - we are all different in some way or another.

Oh and well done for sharing this here. That was exactly the right thing to do.

 

[Oldvatr]

Bullying like this is about point scoring and one upmanship. If the classmates see you react uncomfortably to a certain type of comment, then they will tend to use this as a lever to try to up the ante to get a bigger reaction. If you can stop yourself from showing discomfort and just shrug your shoulders instead, then this will deprive the bullies of the oxygen they seek, and they will get bored and move on to other things. Kids can be cruel without realizing it. It is part of growing up to get ready for the cut and thrust of life in the future.

 

[Juicyj]

Hello @Ruby26913 If you friends are saying jokes about this to you and it's offending you then it's not ok, they might of said something though without realising it would offend you and perhaps were embarrassed after it was said, friends shouldn't hurt, embarrass or belittle friends, this isn't good friendship.

Speak to a teacher about this, also contact JDRF, they have speakers who come out to schools to talk about t1 diabetes and they can very often break down barriers where opinions have been formed without real knowledge.

Aside from all of this, how you react will determine how their behaviour will continue, some people get a rise out of seeing others get hurt, so brush these comments off, educate where you can but don't let other people's comments affect you - 'sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me' was always my favourite saying when someone said something cruel to me

 

[Ruby26913]

Most of the time they’re great, but there are jokes that go around sometimes.

 

[Jayden2407]

Most of the time they’re great, but there are jokes that go around sometimes.

Just let them know that you’re uncomfortable with their “jokes” and that it upsets you. If they are true friends they will respect your wishes and stop doing it. I’m sure they wouldn’t like it if it was the other way around!

Keep your chin up

 

[Oscar_Emms]

Been having a similar issue )obviously I have a break from school at the moment as in the UK we are on Summer Break) but asides that I have teachers and friends who are so supportive especially my girlfriend of 9 months who is very helpfully if I need anything and also my mum and brothers for starters diabetes has been a struggle for me having my parents divorced and not living with the only diabetic realated person who I never see is hard and then to get people joking about it at school is very hard but I always remember that diabetes is well known and very very very misleaded in the media and other things. You have to remember people are going to be nieve and will not understand your diabetes like you and any other diabetic will. I am very upset you have to go through this as it sounds awful I guess I'm lucky it's not like this for me but if I were you I would let your year leader, Tutor, Teachers or whoever can help if people are saying these things it's bullying and is not "ok" and in my eyes not a "joke". It is good to see that I am not the only one who has this issue good luck with it though and I do hope this has been or will be sorted out soon.