Blonde jokes
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Blonde jokes are a class of jokes based on a stereotype of dumb blonde women.[1]
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[edit] Common traits
Many blonde jokes are simply variations on other racist jokes, sometimes adapted to make them less offensive. Blonde jokes nearly always take the format of the blonde placing herself in a situation or making a comment that serves to highlight her supposed promiscuity and/or lack of intelligence. A British variant of the blonde joke is the Essex girl, which became popular in the late 1980s, and satirises working-class girls from the county of Essex. Italian versions of the joke involve Carabinieri.
[edit] Criticism
Like all humor based on stereotypes, blonde jokes are offensive to many people. However, blonde jokes, unlike other jokes that target minorities, are not recognized by society as being hurtful and can be seen/heard in the media, such as newspapers and television.
Blonde jokes have been criticized as sexist by several authors.[2] Research shows that men find blonde jokes significantly more amusing than women say they do.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Thomas, Jeannie B. (1997). "Dumb Blondes, Dan Quayle, and Hillary Clinton: Gender, Sexuality, and Stupidity in Jokes". The Journal of American Folklore 110 (437): 277–313. doi:.
- ^ Blundy, Anna (2007-08-25). "'Blonde' jokes aren't funny - No other minority would stand for this cruel stereotyping". Spectator, The (Romford): 18–19. ISSN 00386952.
- ^ Greenwood, D; LM Isbell (2002). "Ambivalent Sexism and the Dumb Blonde: Men's and Women's Reactions to Sexist Jokes". Psychology of Women Quarterly 26 (4): 341–350. Blackwell Publishers. doi:. ISSN 0361-6843.
