During the interview with Megyn Kelly, Judge Judy was speaking about personal responsibility and she made remarks about lupus that were not only insensitive but very generalized and uninformed. This is unacceptable and Judge Judy should issue a public apology for her remarks.
Why is this important?
I suffer from lupus and I know many others who have lupus as well. Lupus is very difficult to manage due to it's unpredictable nature and it can progress rather quickly. Lupus is incurable and it can result in multiple organ failure. It is often accompanied by other diseases and it is all too often fatal. Lupus kills. Lupus cripples. Lupus robs those who have it of a "normal life". Lupus doesn't just affect those who have it. It hurts our families, too. Lupus is a devastating disease. Progress in treating lupus has been a slow process and there is still much to learn about the disease. Judge Judy's dismissive and flippant remarks were not only insensitive and ill-informed but also very unproductive and discriminatory. She made comments that compared lupus to other unrelated illnesses and she made comments about her daughter in law being able to work even though she has lupus. Her comments do not reflect the reality that so many people with lupus experience and reflects her lack of knowledge about the disease. It's for those reasons that I believe that she should publicly apologize for her remarks with regard to lupus.
