Fatty is no more

Today's entry doesn't exactly follow last weeks although it is pretty much related to it and the subject broke when it was published.

This character from the Beano is called Fatty which is his nickname and a good number of his mates in the Bash Street Kids cartoon strip set in school are also known by them such as Spotty and Plug.

We all knew a child who ate lots of crisps, cake and 'tuck' who was to be polite, well built with a big tummy. Some of us just about remember Billy Bunter!

This is a frame from the past where the children attempt to put on a Circus.

As you can see for yourself, Fatty is not called that in an insulting or offensive way.

Late Friday it was announced that following letters from children asking why Fatty is called that it was said he would no longer be know as Fatty but Freddy or Frederick if in trouble as they felt it would help avoid children calling fat boys Fatty.

It was also said he'd be drawn slimmer.

Thing is the entire Bash Street Kids strip is all based on stereotypes such as Plug who has facial disfigurements that mean he looks 'ugly' , Spotty has spots and we all know kids with spots do get call names such as Zit Face, Toot's is a tomboy and so on.

Everybody has a thing that marks them out in a group but they see past it even if they use nicknames in an affectionate way based around that between them working together to defeat the Teachers and teachers pet Cuthbert Cringworthy.

Every child has a value and is valued in the strip even Cuthbert, the posh swot.

Like it or not from time immemorial boys and girls have called each other names, not that it's right and no doubt still will even if the terms change. 

Calling Fatty, Freddie won't change it, people will be called a Freddy instead rather like other words were used to replace "spastic" as a insult for some of us back in the day.

While it's right for teachers, parents and others to call out name calling, you have to learn to be resilient to that that because at some point a person will call you names because you need to stand up for yourself as much as those that do need a strong talking to.

Drawing him slimmer doesn't do anything to address the fact that big even clinically obese boys and girls do exist and probably will be called names or not invited to things such as parties and sleep overs.

It's just pretending big children do not exist in your class and that can lead to these things and why shouldn't they be shown in  cartoon?

To me this is just unnecessary meddling in the actual premise of the cartoon strip which was positive about difference without any in your face agendas just to please people into remaking the world to fit their ideals rather than kids just having fun reading cartoons that relate to world as it is, warts and all.

Some thoughts on starting a New Year

Last week I wrote a bit about last year personally, life on Tumblr and yes this blog but when out I decided to write something about the New Year.
There's a bit of a tradition in calling an New Year in honour of some cause or other like for instance 2019 is actually been designated the International Year of Indigenous Language which is supposed to help the awareness of languages native to the original people that are said to be at risk of being lost and the associated often oral history and culture that goes with them
I can recall two International Years that directly were relevant to me one, being the International Year of the Child in 1979 and 1981's International Year of the Disabled and to be honest I'm a bit skeptical over them.
When I think of that year as a physically and developmentally disabled teen at the time in high school the overwhelming though of myself and my peers was "more of the great and good saying we're sorry for your condition and here's some services we think you ought to be grateful for".
I mean the more inspirational thing around disability I read and saw was actually on Blue Peter about a man called Joey Deacon who like me had cerebal palsy and like I did for a period was unable to communicate through regular speech  who lived originally with his mother.
When she died early, he went to a institution and was labelled as 'simple minded' ignoring that he was intelligent and even though she could 'read' his output when it came to blinking or emitting sounds.
In time he met four friends also there who found they could understand him and this lead to a projected where between them they could transcribe them into the form of a book about his life.
This had come to prominence as it was the start of a period of closing such 'hospitals' down and resettling people into grouped bungalows and this turned in one of the tv programs appeals to raise funds for more bungalows, power outdoor electric wheelchairs and so on to promote greater independence.
It also helped to bridge a huge gap between the understanding of non-disabled children  and those of us who were.
To me that program as written in more detail in Blue Peter book eighteen did more good at the everyday level than any high faluting designated years and processions of big wigs.
It also showed often the biggest barriers are attitudes and that having an output problem - not being able to communicate to others  what you think - can lead to widespread prejudice even among the medical community.
It's why when I think about new years I tend to feel it's better for all of us to try to challenge other peoples ideas by showing them more of our lives as well as our being prepared to help others for how we can make lives better for one another.