The famed game show “Jeopardy!” was blasted over a “misogynistic” and “offensive” clue to label a medical condition known as POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome).
Guest host Savannah Guthrie read a clue from the Plain-Named Maladies category Monday, Fox News reported.
“Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is also known as Grinch Syndrome because this organ is too small,” the clue explained. The answer was “what is the heart?” (RELATED: Alex Trebek Begins New Season Of ‘Jeopardy!’ After Completing Cancer Treatment)
‘Jeopardy!’ viewers upset over ‘misogynistic,’ ‘outdated’ clue about a medical condition https://t.co/AQfshxgfse
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 22, 2021
POTS is a manageable condition many women and children around the world reportedly suffer from and “the structure of the heart is normal” in most POTS patients, according to John Hopkins Medicine, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Alex Trebek Announces He Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer)
Many viewers tweeted about the clue and shared their frustration about the show’s episode.
Dysautonomia International, a non-profit organization that raises funds for research and public awareness of disorders like POTS, issued a statement calling the clue “misogynistic” and “offensive.”
Hey @Jeopardy no one with any credibility calls POTS “Grinch Syndrome.” Promoting outdated misogynistic terms to describe a debilitating autonomic nervous system disorder that impacts millions of Americans is not cool. We request an apology on behalf of our community. Do better.
— Dysautonomia Intl. (@Dysautonomia) June 22, 2021
“Hey @Jeopardy no one with any credibility calls POTS “Grinch Syndrome,” the group tweeted. “Promoting outdated misogynistic terms to describe a debilitating autonomic nervous system disorder that impacts millions of Americans is not cool. We request an apology on behalf of our community. Do better.”
This appeared on Jeopardy tonight. Grinch syndrome is an offensive term. Can you imagine Jeopardy making light of cancer or MS patients with a “funny” name for their debilitating health condition? Not acceptable. We’d love to see real questions about the autonomic nervous system. pic.twitter.com/kqetij1Jwx
— Dysautonomia Intl. (@Dysautonomia) June 22, 2021
The game show has since issued an apology on Twitter for using the “outdated” term, the outlet noted.
“Yesterday’s program included a clue about postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS),” the tweet reads. “After hearing from the community, we found we used an outdated and inaccurate term for this disorder, and we apologize.”
UPDATE: The original story has been updated to reflect the show’s apology.