Kanye West chose to be candid about his bipolar disorder and bashing him for it only confirms why many are afraid to talk about their mental health.
On Sunday, rapper and billionaire Kanye West held a rally for his bid for his presidential campaign. The rapper announced his intention to run on July 4 through Twitter. Since then, the criticism of West became heavier with each passing day, with special attention paid to his late-night tweets.
Many blasted West for his remarks about his daughter when speaking about abortion. West gave a tearful speech when discussing how abortion personally impacted him during one of his rallies. He told the audience that his dad wanted to abort him and that he wanted to abort his daughter, North. “I almost killed my daughter,” he cried.
Here’s What You Shouldn’t Say About Kanye West
Blaming Kanye’s harmful remarks on his bipolar disorder avoids any form of accountability as mental health is no excuse for comments and beliefs as hateful as West’s.
“Sensationalizing these difficulties whether they are members of the public or celebrities is really problematic for anyone who is experiencing mental health because it gives a very small picture of what might be going on,” said counseling psychologist Dr. Carolyne Keenan, on Kanye West.
Singer Halsey called on critics to hold their judgement of Kanye, stating, “no jokes right now. I have dedicated my career to offering education and insight about bipolar disorder and I’m so disturbed by what I’m seeing. Personal opinions about someone aside, a manic episode isn’t a joke. If you can’t offer understanding or sympathy, offer your silence.” Halsey struggles with bipolar disorder herself.
Kim Kardashian West: “His Words Sometimes Do Not Align With His Intentions”
Kardashian-West took to Instagram, urging people to give Kanye grace. “As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand,” she wrote. “I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health,” she wrote.
“I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions,” she added. Kardashian-West explained the battles that Kanye faced, in addition to his bipolar disorder. She wrote, “he is a brilliant but complicated person who, on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder. Those who are close to Kanye know his heart and understand his words sometimes do not align with his intentions.” West was diagnosed in 2016. Kim believes that her husband is going through a manic period.
West chose to be candid about his bipolar disorder and bashing him for it only confirms why many are afraid to talk about their mental health. West’s bipolar disorder is not a joke. Keep your judgement to yourself.