Today’s episode is about how type 1 diabetes shows up in pop culture and the media. We want to talk about this because sometimes the only exposure someone has to diabetes comes from what they see in movies or on TV, and unfortunately, a lot of those depictions are inaccurate and misleading.
Many celebrities have T1D, including Nick Jonas, Victor Garber, Mary Tyler Moore, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and multiple athletes.
And for the record, Halle Berry has Type 2 Diabetes, not Type 1.
One of the most well-known examples of diabetes in pop culture is the movie Steel Magnolias. Both Jessie and I have a lot of problems with this movie, even though it’s somewhat accurate for the time period. A big problem with using diabetes as a plot point in pop culture is that it’s really hard to accurately show the full impact of such an invisible disease.
We also talk about a few more movies and TV shows, like Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Panic Room, Con Air, The Walking Dead, and The Big Bang Theory. One thing these all have in common is how poorly the writers used Type 1 Diabetes as part of the plot or the script.
In movies & TV shows, T1D is a dramatic plot point or something to increase the tension. Unfortunately, it’s also subject to really lazy writing. It’s not as dramatic to give someone a juice box or a candy bar to bring up a low (the diabetic shock) than it is to need to immediately stab someone with a needle to inject insulin, which magically makes them better right away.
Here’s Studio C’s “Diabetes Intervention” skit:
Wins & Fails
Jessie’s Win: Jess woke up in the middle of the night with a low, tested, corrected with a snack and then tested again 15 minutes later. Nighttime lows are scary for Jess, so handling this one felt like a win!
Colleen’s Fail: On a weekend ski trip, my sensor was cutting in and out for a while, and then cut out for three straight hours (while skiing) and failed on day nine. I called Dexcom and got transferred to Tandem (who replaced the sensor).
Tip of the Week
If you have a high blood sugar, drink water to help bring the blood sugar down without going overboard on the insulin. You’ll be thirsty anyway, but drinking water helps lower the acidity in the blood.
Diabetes Spotlight
Ed Straiton’s Story: Marathon running and diabetes in the UK
Ed is a marathon runner from the United Kingdom. He’s gotten his diabetes care routine down to a science so he can run without experiencing major fluxuations in his blood sugars. Ed’s an example of a type 1 diabetic who’s experimented enough with his care to determine what works for him.
“I’ve always been active – it’s part of my diabetes control,” says Ed. “In preparation for London, I’ve already done a couple of half marathons and a triathlon. For me, running is what works. If you’re thinking about taking up exercise, do what you enjoy. I have grown to enjoy running – but, if you enjoy swimming or cycling, do that. Whatever you do, it all helps!”
Now It's Your Turn...
What’s your least favorite representation of diabetes in film? What’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments! What does everyone think of the movies and TV shows we talked about in this episode?
Mentioned in This Episode
- The Cinema of Control: On Diabetic Excess and Illness in Film (CUNY Queens College)
- 7 Times TV & Movies Got Diabetes Wrong (Beyond Type 1)
- Diabetes in Pop Culture: Is it Really That Hard to Get it Right? (Hugging the Cactus)
Want to Read or Listen to More? - 25 Truth Bombs to Make You Re-Think Type 1 Diabetes
- The Stress Associated with Type 1 Diabetes
- What is Type 1 Diabetes and Why You Should Care
- What Burnout Looks Like in a Type 1 Diabetic
- World Diabetes Day is About Visibility
- What I’ve Learned from 20 Years at Panther Camp
- 4 Things Type 1 Diabetics Have to Watch Out For
- How to React When Family Members Joke About Diabetes
- This is What a Day as a Type 1 Diabetic Looks Like
Community & Social
- Join us in the Half-Dead Pancreas Club, our private Discord community for people with T1D.
- Follow us on Instagram @thisistype1pod, @jj_crystalkat, & @type1ravenclaw
- Follow us on Facebook
Choose Where to Listen
Credits
Our music is by Joseph McDade. Check out his website here!
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One Response
There have been a number of shows that have used T1D I'm their script for "Drama". NCIS, CSI: Los Vegas (my personal Favorite, love Lady Heather), Criminal Minds, Body of Proof, Law and Order, and several other that I just can't think of at the moment. (Obviously, I really like crime shows) Some of them get it right some of them don't, some of them come so close, then they throw something in so crazy wrong for plot twist. (IE: Using an insulin pump as a GPS tracker? Sending instructions to an insulin pump via internet to overdose the victim? This was before they were even Bluetooth enabled. Of course the age old, cure the passing out with an injection of insulin without checking their BG) I honestly feel as much as there is "right" with their portray of us, there is doubly wrong which leads to miseducation. I really wish there were more restrictions on such things, because it could cost a Diabetic their lives.