Futurama's Mutants Rights

Question

In Futurama, there are large numbers of mutated humans on Earth, who are treated very poorly. They are an underclass, figuratively and literally.

Is there ever any explanation given for this? Completely alien species (like Kif's people, or Zoidberg's) are treated fairly and equally by most people, but mutants are not.

A certain female character who is revealed to be a mutant was even disguised as an alien in order to prevent this bigotry from affecting her.

Is it ever explained why mutants are so hated? Don't the people of Futurama enjoy X-men as much as we do?

Answer 1

In the episode where Leela gets a one day pass to the surface for her parents (the one where they use Zoidberg's super hero cream) Amy refers to them as "inferior genetic scum" which reinforces the idea that they are subjugated because of their transformation and not because of their basic identity (human).

Answer 2

The mutants are hated because they are different. Not different as in species but as in DNA. Mutants' DNA has been exposed to bad sources(i think radiation) that they mutated showing hideous forms.

The reason of the Mutant's class system being so low, was because they were already low before they even became Mutants. Low enough that they could be introduced to toxic waste. Then after the changed, they still were from the lower class, nothing changed.

Basically Mutants were hated because of their difference. In Futurama, race didn't really matter. There wasn't any segregation (gays can marry, ghosts can marry, etc.) so there wasn't any hate. Society had to hate somebody, rather than making Earth hating to other Alien Species, the writers decided to put Mutants as the hated group. Thus opening some story lines.

Answer 3

The mutants were exposed to chemicals that changed their form. In their world, there is a chemical pool and if any human falls into it, they will turn into a mutant (revealed in 'Leela's Homeworld'). Mutants can also pass along their deformities to their children, as revealed by a certain main character's birth. In some episodes, there are some unfair views of mutants that seem to have no bases other than the fact that they are different. When a mutant had to go to the surface they needed a pass ('Less Than Hero'). Fortunately, in 'The Mutant's a Revolting', the mutants were able to get surface rights. Maybe they will do an episode similar to The Help to explain where this hatred has come from.