King’s dementia advert – offensive or harmless?

The Tab asked freshers whether the Dementia banner outside King’s reading “Q: When will we remember to take dementia seriously?”

Kelly, English Language and Communications, second year

Personally I thought it was kind of funny but I don’t think thats necessarily a bad thing. Often we’re  encouraged to take issues so seriously, but maybe something like that which is a little bit funny stays with people and grabs people’s attention a bit more, and maybe they’re more inclined to go away and educate themselves about the topic.

Georgia Grace, English Literature,  first year

To be honest, I actually think it’s quite funny. I don’t think it’s insulting, but I don’t think it does what it’s trying to do as well as it could.

Tim, Maths, third year

I think the flag wasn’t in bad taste. It was raising a point that maybe people not doing medicine don’t think about often. People are offended too easily, if people were offended less often, it would mean a lot more when they actually were.

Yin, Maths, second year

I think any publicity for dementia is good publicity. I don’t see it as a bad thing, especially if it’s done in the right context.

Sam, Film studies, first year

I think it’s very funny. It’s not offensive, y’know, nothing is offensive.

Oliver, English Literature, first year

I can understand how some people might find it offensive, I think ultimately it’s not that big a deal, but if you were to show me a bunch of people who were sincerely upset by it, then maybe I’d go along with it and say it should be taken down.

Mary, Philosophy, first year

I just think it’s a bit of a bad joke and it’s not a great advert, but I don’t find it particularly offensive, personally.

Felicity, Medicine, first year

First I thought it was a bit funny, but when I thought about it a bit more, it seemed like it could easily be offensive to others.’