The Ones That Laughed: Humor in the LGBT Community

“I wouldn’t be here without the gay audience,” explained the late comedienne Joan Rivers. “They were the ones that laughed and encouraged and thought you were wonderful.” From its inception as a unified community, LGBT citizens have poked fun at themselves and the wider society, supported up-and-coming comics, and fostered a distinct culture of comedy.  Whether or not these shirts actually get a laugh, they demonstrate one tactic of the LGBT movement’s quest for visibility, recognition, and integration.

Can you think of other social groups that used humor in their messages? Do you think the use of humor is only in jest or do you think it has real political implications?