Sunday, May 10, 2026

DIABETES RESEARCH RIGHT NOW! #42 Fighting Diabetes Stigma, One Joke at a Time

From the first moment I discovered I had been diagnosed with DIABETES, I joined a HUGE “club” that has been rapidly expanding since it stopped being a death sentence in the early 20th Century. Currently, there are about HALF A BILLION PEOPLE who have Type 2 Diabetes. For the past 3500 years – dating back to Ancient Egypt – people have suffered from diabetes. Well, I’m one of them now… Not one to shut up for any known reason, I added a section to this blog…Every month, I’ll be highlighting Diabetes research that is going on RIGHT NOW! Harvested from different websites, journals and podcasts, I’ll translate them into understandable English and share them with you. Today: The Stigma of  Diabetes

I’m a funny guy.

My family, friends, church members, former students, grandchildren…and even my WIFE will attest to it. I’m funny.

Which made me start to wonder with anyone was trying to face and deal with Type 2 diabetes with humor?

Turns out, they DO!

A couple years ago (Winter 2024), a group of comedians, artists, and activists gathered together under the sponsorship of DiaTribe to brainstorm, write, and create a series of videos aimed at destigmatizing diabetes. “Broadly, the videos aim to spotlight surprising facts about diabetes, increase familiarity and respect, counter harmful stereotypes and misconceptions, and encourage laughter and curiosity over judgment.”

So – what can this do to HELP me deal with being a T2 Diabetic? Or even a Type 1…can’t imagine that, though trying to deal with the self-separating issues that come from few (if anyone) really understanding not ONLY what that meant for your life, but being unable – NOT because you’re fat, disabled, or something else that people might understand for you staying out of sports…but because you’re “a diabetic” and people wondering how THAT could keep you from playing any sport at all. That was what happened to Greg; my long-time buddy and friend. He was one of the most understanding – and obNOXIOUSLY funny people I have ever known! You’d think that would have kept him happy…but his ban (personal, parental, or doctoral, he never said…) from being an athlete. It hurt him.

At any rate, these commercials and the goal of this group, make me think of Greg…so I share them with you. If you know someone who struggles with T1 or T2 diabetes, watch these, think, then make a plan to make their lives more fun. At least, more “seen” and less “blamed”.

So follow a couple of them, follow all of them.

Then talk to someone who is diabetic and find out if there’s anything you can do to help – or if you should just shut up about it. Or refuse to talk about it and ask them to teach you. THEN shut up.

(A related post of mine regarding the stigma of being T2...


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