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Cartoon reinforces negative stereotype about ME/CFS

Karena

Karena

Messages
18
Old Bones said:
@ballard I tried again, after adding the following at the end of my original email to "Blondie":

"Alternatively, donating to an ME/CFS/SEID charity would result in some good coming out of your unfortunate decision to ridicule these illnesses. A good choice would be the Open Medical Foundation. Take a look at their website http://www.openmedicinefoundation.org/ to discover the impressive credentials of the many scientists/researchers working to solve these complex chronic diseases."

Unfortunately, I received the same error message.
Click to expand...

I just sent a message on the Blondie contact page, and it went through. I wrote the following, which I hope sounds OK. (If it doesn't blame it on my stupid brain!):

Just want to add my voice to the many people who were offended by the Feb. 25 strip referencing chronic fatigue syndrome. You obviously noticed that the National Academy of Science suggested renaming it Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease. Perhaps you should have read the whole report, which details the disease's devastating effects on patients and their families. Think of it this way: Would you publish a strip showing that Dagwood's gluttony leads him to develop diabetes and have his leg amputated? Does that seem funny? No, it's tragic. Well, so is the plight of thousands of SEID suffererers. And your insensitivity just made their lives a little less bearable.
 
Old Bones

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
I shortened my original email considerably, and didn't get the error message. Here's what finally went through (I hope):

From your website: "Enjoy reliving your favorite gags — we’ve made sure you have the tools to share the fun with your friends, . . . " Since when is it acceptable to make “fun” of a serious chronic illness by turning it into a “gag”? Because, that’s exactly what you did in your February 25, 2016 “Blondie” comic strip. Congratulations for reinforcing the inaccurate stigma associated with CFS/SEID in your attempt to get laughs. Perhaps you would consider retracting this comic strip, and providing a sincere apology to patients. Alternatively, donating to a CFS/SEID research charity would result in some good coming out of your unfortunate decision to ridicule this very real, and devastating, illness. A good choice would be the Open Medical Foundation. Take a look at their website: http://www.openmedicinefoundation.org/
 
Old Bones

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
For those following the "Blondie" debacle, I just opened my email to find an apology. Here's the text:

"It is with great concern that we address the "Blondie" comic strip that ran on February 25th. After hearing of the inaccurate portrayal of a very serious disease, we would like to offer our apologies.

"Blondie" values all of our fans and any feedback that is provided. Thank you for enlightening us on the real meaning of CFS/SEID and how it can affect those who battle with it every day.

With our sincere apologies,

Your Friends at Blondie"

Did anyone else receive the same, or a similar, response?
 
aaron_c

aaron_c

Senior Member
Messages
691
@Old Bones : There is a forum for discussion of my letter to the editor. Can I post the reply you received on that forum? (I never emailed the Blondie people, so I haven't received that reply.)
 
ballard

ballard

Senior Member
Messages
152
I was mistaken when I said that the cartoon had been removed. I just checked and it is still there.
 
Old Bones

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
Webdog said:
I just checked using a different browser in case something might have gotten cached. The same "offensive" CFS comic remains at

http://blondie.com/comics/february-25-2016/
Click to expand...

ballard said:
I was mistaken when I said that the cartoon had been removed. I just checked and it is still there.
Click to expand...

I looked again and you are both correct. At first, I didn't notice that the calendar default was 2013. When I changed the year to 2016, the CFS/SEID comic strip is still there.
 
panckage

panckage

Senior Member
Messages
777
Location
Vancouver, BC
I haven't read a Blondie comic for a long time so I actually found it pretty funny. But I'm also more happy that the activist types took action on this to help educate!
 
ballard

ballard

Senior Member
Messages
152
I have a healthy friend who often follows ME/CFS issues, and she sent me this screen shot of an ad accompanying the Blondie website. Just a little example of ME/CFS irony. :)


Screen Shot 2016-03-05 at 12.18.42 PM.png


If you'd like to make a comment to the creators of Blondie about the offensive cartoon, here's the website: http://blondie.com/contact/

While I believe that the apology from Dianne Erwin (aka "Your Friends at Blondie") is sincere, I am also hoping that there will be enough outcry that the creators will retract the cartoon. An apology is nice, but to truly make amends for the harmful, demeaning cartoon requires that some additional action be taken. It's not okay to mock the disabled.
 
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