Outskirts Vol. 35, 2016, 1-18 Corresponding author: Victoria Kannen, Huntington University Email: vx_kannen@huntingtonu.ca “This is mud on our faces! We’re not really black!” Teaching gender, race, and age through humour in The Golden Girls Victoria Kannen This paper begins from the premise that humour in popular culture is an excellent pedagogical strategy for teaching about the complexities of sexism, racism, and ageism to students in higher education. In specific, the 1980s American television sitcom, The Golden Girls offers the possibility to explore the subjects of gender, sexuality, whiteness, mixed race, interracial relationships, “blackface,” age, class, and familial relations. This paper analyzes one episode of The Golden Girls entitled “Mixed Blessings” in order to consider the ways in which an older/unfamiliar representation fosters critical dialogue in the classroom, which can enable oppression and privilege to become tangible and discussable subjects, while also encouraging learning to be joyful. All teachers could use more studies about sharing the power of humor as a force in the classroom that enhances learning and helps to create and sustain bonds of community. Working together in the classroom, teachers and students find equanimity when we laugh together. (bell hooks 2010,75) Introduction: Is this “funny”? Full disclosure: I love The Golden Girls. I also recognize that it is a cliché that I love The Golden Girls. As a white, straight, femme, feminist, I have watched this sitcom since I was a child. These are four women who I have aspired to be like – sexual, smart, underestimated, and hilariously sarcastic. I also recognize that this is a show that most of my undergraduate students are unfamiliar with. The context of the show—the socio-political climate of the United States in the 1980s—is unfamiliar and the subject matter(s) that the characters introduce are almost non- existent on contemporary sitcoms. I choose to screen this show with the