I had the chance to attend a mental health conference at York put on by Student Community and Leadership Development. The conference was for peer leaders and they provided students with the opportunity to give feedback on York’s mental health action plan, learn more about mental health resources on campus, and connect with like-minded peers.
The keynote speaker of the event was Drew Dudley, founder of Nuance Leadership Development Services. Dudley gave an engaging talk about his view on mental health issues and shared his own struggle with bipolar disorder.
I largely enjoyed his talk and appreciated that he was willing to share his own experiences with mental health challenges. I do, however, take issue with his point of view that people with mental health issues or challenges have an obligation to educate other people.
Dudley may have gained power and privilege from being open and honest about who he is, but this is not the case for everybody.
I’m Russian. I may be able to speak openly about mental health and write this article in Canada without fear of serious repercussions, but this wouldn’t be the situation in Russia or other parts of the world where any difference or disability is considered a serious liability.
Dudley and other public figures are protected by their privilege from consequences that ordinary folks may face. To use a slightly different example, musician Adam Lambert performed a concert in Moscow in 2013.
Lambert is openly gay, but Russian people and authorities overlooked this because he’s an entertainer and because his presence in Moscow generated revenue. The average Russian LGBTQ+ citizen faces multiple obstacles towards living a fulfilling life; same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Russia, and the general population there is becoming increasingly homophobic.
People in positions of power and influence need to check their privilege. Vulnerable people, including but not limited to people with disabilities and mental health challenges, do not exist to educate, motivate, or inspire people who are unaware of lived experiences of marginalization.
This line of thinking effectively reduces vulnerable individuals to objects and negates their individuality as human beings.
To further complicate this issue, certain vulnerable individuals become advocates and public speakers because they don’t have much other choice. Other individuals with such challenges effectively choose to “pass” as “normal” even in environments that are more accepting because they lose a lot of influence by being fully open about who they are.
It makes me happy that more people are willing and able to share their lived experiences of struggle and marginalization, and even more happy that people are willing to listen to these stories.
It is still important to remember that marginalized people’s stories are their own, and that we as a society are not entitled to anyone’s past history. Progress has been made, but more progress is necessary.
I went to Active Minds at York’s open house on Bell Let’s Talk Day and watched Clara Hughes’ documentary Clara’s Big Ride. The documentary was thankfully followed by a discussion of the perspectives left out in the film.
Men as a group were underrepresented, and there wasn’t a single francophone speaker in a documentary about a ride through this vast, bilingual country.
For every person who is listened to, many more perspectives go unheard. Certain individuals and groups are still overlooked in favour of people more charismatic, personable, and “normal” than them.
Vulnerable people exist to live their lives above all else. If that includes any kind of advocacy work, then so be it. The environment at York is definitely more accepting, but the wider world is different. Consider this before asking somebody to educate you and other people about their difficulties.
Anna Dinissuk, Contributor
Featured image courtesy of Youtube, TedXToronto
