Allergy Bullying: It's real, and it's dangerous




White Coat, Black Art on CBC Radio show

Summary: The new movie Peter Rabbit didn't get great reviews from critics - but it got a unanimous thumbs down from kids who have anaphylaxis and their parents. The movie features a scene in which the animated rabbits pelt a character with blackberries - knowing he has a deadly allergy to them. It's just one of a raft of gags and insensitive jokes, which parents and experts say amounts to "allergy bullying." This week we talk to Vancouver mum Lisa Buckley, and her 8-year old daughter River, who has a severe peanut allergy about the movie and the message it sends, and what it's like to be dubbed "the humourless allergy mum." Arianne Kirkey of Ottawa talks about how she negotiated her way through grade school, high school and early adulthood with a peanut allergy. Canadian allergist Dr. Edmond Chan tells us about his study in which 20 percent of participants reported being bullied.