"It was just a joke."

Someone at a work gathering made a comment about a marginalized group, delivered with a laugh. Most people laughed. One person, the only one from that group, went quiet.

Later, someone asked if they were okay. "I'm fine. It was just a joke. I shouldn't be so sensitive."

But they weren't fine. And it wasn't just a joke.

This episode explores when humor crosses from connection to harm:

• "It was just a joke" as a shield against accountability
• How humor reflects power, bias, and cultural norms
• Microaggressions disguised as banter
• Crip humor, dark humor, and who gets to make the joke (positionality matters)
• Punching up vs. punching down: the jester's wisdom
• Research: disparaging humor increases tolerance for discrimination
• What to say when a joke crosses the line
• How to repair when you're the one who made the harmful joke

Humor should create shared laughter, not isolate or diminish others.

Intent vs. Impact, Episode 3