Dear Hollywood, Asthma is No Laughing Matter

Asthma is no laughing matter, and after years of observing the stereotyping in the media, it’s time for this severe asthmatic to stand up and say something.

We know who they are in the media we watch, they are easy to pick out. They receive the unfortunate title based on a feature like coke bottle glasses, weight, or horrible dance moves. Immediately, when she takes her inhaler…yeah she has asthma, probably a nerd. We all know that stereotyping is wrong, and yet, it is how writers, producers, and actors get the point across to viewers about the personality of the character.

As an asthmatic, diagnosed at age five, I took this to heart as a child. I already couldn’t breathe, had to leave the classroom to take a rescue inhaler, and in many cases missed school due to hospitalization. So, when I began noticing my friends distancing themselves, I too thought, well, I guess it’s because now I’m a nerd.

Media has created an unfair profile of those with asthma. As if we didn’t have enough to…