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Is Julian Going to Hate a Post about Kanye?

Image result for kanye west raised handsKanye West is known for many things from his interruption of Taylor Swift at the VMAs to his twenty-one Grammy's to his marriage to Kim Kardashian. While some of his behaviors have been incredibly destructive and have been widely reported (especially all things in relation to Taylor Swift), I have not seen much discussion around the mental health difficulties he faces and often talks about within his music. Several of these references include the ways others have called him "crazy," however, there seems to be a lack of real understanding about his situation. While mental health concerns do not absolve all responsibility, it is interesting to see the way this facet of his life is continually glossed over. Instead, it appears several media outlets would rather paint him as an "angry black man." This is an example of operating on harmful stereotypes, and may contribute to people of color not seeking out resources in relation to mental illness. Mental health needs to be looked at in an intersectional way, especially as it is common for those with mental illnesses to be discriminated against; this discrimination may even increase in severity and/or frequency when compounded with racial discrimination. This intersectional view should extend to the way mental health is talked about, as well as the institutions that exist that offer therapy (practices, hospitals, universities, etc). 



Another aspect of this delves into the ways in which people with mental illness are treated, usually based on how these disorders manifest. Many people will not talk about their struggles with aspects of mental wellness, due to stigmatization (which can be even more present within various cultures). Recently, there seems to be a push to celebrate celebrities who speak out about mental health, which is incredibly important, but largely, these celebrities have experiences that still remain private or are expressed in ways that are "acceptable." This is in comparison to celebrities such as Amy Winehouse who struggled with addiction and mental illness and was often the punchline of many jokes up until her passing. This makes me wonder what we can do to destigmatize all mental illnesses, but especially those that are seen as more destructive, or are on the more 

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