@Snappy's comment on 'This cartoon is hate speech according to a leaf mayor :marseyrake::marseypearlclutch2:'

This cartoon is hate speech according to a leaf mayor :marseyrake:

Raeside cartoon could be hate speech

Saturday’s Adrian Raeside cartoon included an image of the person who is experiencing mental illness, as well as a caption.

I don’t understand how this is not discrimination or even hate speech; if the caption and image referred to or discriminated against someone who is black, or Indigenous, or female, or queer, etc. it would never have been printed in the Times Colonist.

Why is it OK to discriminate against people who are experiencing mental illness? Breaking the stigma and getting those suffering the help they need is already difficult enough.

This cartoon does a disservice to everyone in our community struggling with mental illness, which is many people these days — including many youth — after the two-year stress of the pandemic.

Lisa Helps

Mayor of Victoria

.... and a nurse who's probably on /r/nursing too much

Cartoon perpetuates stigma and harm

The Times Colonist recently published a cartoon by Adrian Raeside that depicts mental illness, homelessness and addiction in a highly stigmatizing manner.

These very real and devastating issues are not a joke. How is the loss of life and suffering remotely humourous?

In the midst of an opioid crisis, homelessness, poverty, the ongoing impacts of colonialism on vulnerable groups, mental health crises and needed reform, as well as health care’s significant limitations with current staffing shortages and needed change, images like these perpetuate serious stigma and harm for our society’s most vulnerable, multi-marginalized individuals.

That this cartoon made it into publication reflects the degree of bias, judgment and misunderstanding present in our city (from privileged individuals). This is not appropriate and we need to do better for people.