The quality of being funny or able to make people laugh; also a person’s general mood or way of feeling.
From Latin “umor” or “humor,” meaning “fluid” or “moisture.” In medieval medicine, “humors” were body fluids thought to control personality, and the word shifted from fluids to moods and then to funniness.
Humor started as body fluids, then moods, and only later became about jokes. When you say someone is “in good humor,” you’re echoing an old belief that their inner liquids are nicely balanced.
Humor has been used to police gender norms, with jokes often targeting women and gender minorities, and with stereotypes that women are less funny or should be the butt rather than the makers of jokes. Comedy spaces have historically been male-dominated, shaping what is considered acceptable or mainstream humor.
Avoid humor that relies on gender stereotypes or degrades particular genders; recognize that people of all genders create and appreciate sophisticated humor.
["wit","comedy","joking"]
Women comedians, writers, and satirists have used humor to challenge sexism and social hierarchies, even when their work has been marginalized or censored.
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