to think this is disgusting.... magazine

[tazzle22]

called horrible histories having a "free gift" of a kit to make one look like a "disgusting" peasant.

Kit includes uneven / discoloured teeth, nose with a spot on it, fake warts and fake scars. Kid are supposed to become "disgusting" when wearing these.

I do not like the idea that children may then see anyone that has these medical conditions for real and have been given a message by tv programme /magazine that they are "disgusting".

I work with a young man with severe scarring from injuries and acne who also has discoloured teeth form all the nedication hs has to take so I know that I may well be rather more sensitive than some other people might be....

this is my first ever post in here so I guess you could say I feel strongly about it !!!

unless he was born in 1267 I think yabu - it's a joke - about historical plebs - not a piss take on people with scars

Horrible Histories area wonderful way to bring history alive and encourages literacy. Please do't think children are fools who cannot discern between the past and the present. Children have dressed up, acted out and played games since time in memorium.

But above all, don't be offended on behalf of someone who quite probably isnt offendded at all.

I think you may be a tad oversensitive tazzle. :)

The 'disgusting' adjective will be to appeal to kids to make them buy said magazine, its just dressing up & my ds would know the difference between this & a genuine affliction in real life.

Presumably you also object to Halloween 'witch's' warts & all the face paints/scars/rashes/knobbles & bumps you get at this time of year too?

You are wasting your offence on something that doesn't concern you. Really it doesn't. Don't presume that your co-worker could be offended by something until you know that he is - and even then that would BU because nobody is taking the piss out of his skin condition.

YANBU! I think we should ban halloween costumes too in case it upsets the witches and zombies

No, really I agree with gordy, it's not meant to take the pee out of scarred people. I love HH, especially Mat baynton, especially as Dick Turpin swoon

You need to watch Maid Marian and her Merry Men to get back your sense of humour!

Don't be sensitive or offended on behalf of someone unless they are. It's presumptuous.

HH are great, it's just a joke,

for heavens sakes, my dad lost an eye due to a cancer operation, but I dont get upset by pirate costumes!!

Headless is he on something else as a gladiator?

I love that video, he's easily the campest highwayman ever!

Oh Fakebook, i loved that programme!

I'm sure he was one of the gladiators on HH's Gladiator school!

Tomorrow I'm going to make let the dc watch lots of the HH we have taped on the Sky box. I'm a generous mother me

yabu. My teeth could be whiter and I also have a skin condition which is not making me look any LESS peasant like...but I wouldn't diddle the kids out of a bit of dress up!

I understand it is an attempt to dress up like a historical character who may well have had scars, warts and mishsapen teeth. These things all went with the territory way back then and yes, children should understand that many people had skin conditions... or just not the "perfect" skin most have these days.

however calling scars "disgusting" is not a link I would like to make.

Who knows what links children are making ....... many young people growing up these days think that they have to be "perfect" to be acceptable and can develop mental health issues / body image issues if they feel they do not meet this ideal. That message comes from soooooo many sources and who knows just exactly what does and does not make links in young brains.

Although I mentioned one specific person with skin / medical conditions I actually did not like this message anyway even before I thought of him ... I feel it does concern me because my grandaughters are of the age to look at this stuff !

ok cross posted with lots HH fans ... I have never watched the programme

prob generally great

I cant say much more about the fella ... but yes, he does get "looks" / stares because of how he looks.

squeakytoy.

This thread made me roll my eyes so that's my answer.

There's a blog called Skinema written by a dermatologist which looks at how skin conditions are portrayed in film - usually as marks of being a villain. here

kim I remember seeing Simon Weston around Cardiff a lot when I was younger he's a really really nice bloke. I always saw him talking to his "friends" who in hindsight,were probably random strangers having a chat.

OP - YABU in this instance,Horrible Histories is a brilliant way of making learning interesting for children.. But YANBU to be concerned about our generally lookist society. But society always has been I think,just less media coverage of it.

"however calling scars "disgusting" is not a link I would like to make."

Peasants were pretty disgusting back in the day! HH's are calling the peasants disgusting, not the scars. I wouldn't have made the link from a HH peasant pack to someone I knew with scars, I don't think most children would either.