This concept of “stigma” that’s discussed incessantly in this space is only made worse, when we focus our messaging & actions on what must be done, “FOR us.” By doing so, we make MH a binary topic.
When the msgs serve to support “us, the affected ppl” vs “them, the healthy ppl,” not only does change take place more slowly…we see more & more ppl RESISTANT to such change.
I believe this to be the case w “Stop Stigma” campaigns – the undertone of which is: YOU the healthy ppl need to stop stigmatizing US, the affected (if this isn’t the msg it sends then what is it?? bc these msgs are directed at ppl, specifically…not just posted or yelled into a vacuum).
It’s also the case when we make demands, stomp our feet, &/or make ultimatums. MOST ppl in this world still aren’t educated abt MH, still don’t know that it impacts ALL of us…think it’s abt “genetic disorders” you either have or don’t have. It’s why education is so impt…why lived experiences are so impt
Love this Socrates quote here: if we spend time fighting the old (in this case SYSTEMS), instead of building the new (EDUCATION/RELATIONSHIPS/COMPROMISE/PROCESS) we won’t be successful.
So proud of Naomi Osaka’s courage this past wk, taking off fully from the Open, to work on her MH. But, as I/we’ve shared (& now she has even apologized for), the way to make change happen is not to combat an old system in an adversarial way (as she first did on her IG). It’s to explain, work together, grow anew. So happy that the Tours & Naomi have agreed on this in their releases
Additionally, (next slides), I/we’re not happy w how the app, Calm, AFTER this all went down, chose to partake in a PR stunt: telling other players they’ll pay their fines if they ditch the required media this tourney for MH.
We JUST had agreement & a path fwd, & now for eyeballs, they go back to dividing us? They made it an “us” vs “you who don’t understand, so we need to break the current rules,” discussion, again. This is not how change takes place. This divides more than it unifies for change. Let’s work together.
More on this wk’s We’re All A Little “Crazy” podcast abt Naomi & Calm’s move.
