Are Racist and Sexist jokes ok if they are used purely in a joking manner?

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

That's how those 'your mam' and 'so's your face' jokes died.

I wish this was true...

Well they died where I live; we buried them in unmarked graves. 'That's what she said' still lives on though, I swear that she will die by my hand.

 

[Ryengu]

One could argue that they have the purpose of pointing out how absurd the stereotype is.

 

[Luthir Fontaine]

just watch your ass and dont say/make a offenive joke in the presents of the race, gender, or whatever

But really raciest and sexist jokes were funny back in high school find something else to make fun of.....like poltics or something

 

[ultrachicken]

I enjoy racist and sexist jokes, because the concepts of racism and sexism are extremely ridiculous to me, so having a laugh at the expense of these two concepts is perfectly fine with me.

 

[SillyBear]

Depends on the context.

 

[Nouw]

It's humour and humour is subjective. You can't tell someone to stop laughing at a joke 'because it's racist' because it's a joke. Obviously, context and intent apply greatly.

Food for thought.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

So long as it's just in jest, and the people that you are making the joke to understand that, then it's fine. Hell, I've got a Korean friend who joins in with all the Asian jokes, and his are way funnier than ours.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

It's humour and humour is subjective. You can't tell someone to stop laughing at a joke 'because it's racist' because it's a joke. Obviously, context and intent apply greatly.

Food for thought.

I like this guy. Particularly the bit he did on Health and Safety in that same sketch.

"How on earth did you not fall in that hole when there were no signs there?"
"Easy, my parents taught me not to be a dick."

 

[Flailing Escapist]

Of course.

Now are you a woman or not white?

 

[BanthaFodder]

I'd like to paraphrase the late, great, George Carlin here for a moment.
words CANNOT hurt you. take the word "******" for example. it's JUST a word! what you SHOULD be worried about is the racist asshole USING the word.

I'll make jokes about people of all races, religions, and genders, but that doesn't mean I'm a racist/sexist asshole.

 

[Randomperson9999999]

im fine with it

 

[Yokai]

It depends on the level of general offensiveness, I suppose. Some joking generalization, e.g. asking your black friend if he stole his new car, is pretty much okay as long as everyone's aware you're kidding, but concentration camp jokes and the like are pretty much completely tasteless as a rule.

 

[DarkRyter]

Yes.

When there is something that cannot be joked about, the situation is dire and joyless.

 

[FoolKiller]

Context.
Its all about context

Agreed. Not only does the teller of the joke matter, but the target audience as well. If your target audience likes it then it can be funny.

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

A word can't offend you unless you let it. One of my very good friends back home in Baton Rouge is black, and he would always jokingly refer to himself as 'the Black'. Eventually it became a running gag between the two of us (and somewhere along the line we started using heavy Russian accents, making it seem even funnier). He embraced the slightly racist joke, so if anyone would try to use it in an offensive manner it would have already lost all its power.

Anyway, I like to think like Yahtzee on this matter, e.g. if there's no malicious intent behind the joke, then it's all okay. If you're telling a ****** joke while wearing a pointy white hood and lighting a cross afire...well, that's probably crossing the line...

 

[The Night Shade]

They are ok but they are offensive to some people

 

[Farseer Lolotea]

Depends on if you're mocking the attitude (see: "The Stereotypes Song") or if you're trivializing the issue/supporting the bias. So yeah; context matters.

 

[Denamic]

When you're white and can make a joke about black people, to a black person, and you both laugh, then you've overcome racism.
So yes.

 

[Agayek]

A few weeks back I was in Social Studies with my friend and I see this vocabulary word. The word was Equal Rights Admenment. (The one for women). I then go "Hey wanna see a good joke." And then I point at the word. Is this okay that I did this. I don't think there is anything wrong with equal rights with women. I just thought it was funny. So opinions?

There's nothing inherently wrong with making a discriminatory joke. It's crass, but there's nothing really wrong with it.

Now, if you use said joke as a personal attack against someone, then you'd be crossing the line, but if it's generic, there's nothing wrong with it.

The way I see it, what you say is completely irrelevant. What's important is what you convey. If you are making a joke, it's perfectly permissible. If you are attacking someone with it, then you're in the wrong.

In your specific case here, I'd say you were just fine there. It's some generic joke, albeit a bad one. There's no reason to be offended by it.

 

[Agayek]

Agreed. Not only does the teller of the joke matter, but the target audience as well. If your target audience likes it then it can be funny.

I would disagree with that. It doesn't matter who you're speaking to, all that matters is what you're saying.

The audience can (and does) overreact all the time, and it's ridiculous. For example, in my old wow guild, one of the members would use the word "******" as a generic insult (replacing "jackass", "fucker", etc). One of the other members, one of the whitest people I've ever met, threw a fit over it, while the only black guy (to my knowledge) in the guild laughed at it.

The audience's reaction does not change how acceptable a joke is. The only valid reason a statement like my example above, or the OP's, is "bad" is when it's used as a personal attack. Anything else just means people need to get over themselves.