Sensitivity Training On the Way for Kate Walsh Too?
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has published a quote by Kate Walsh under their ‘StigmaBuster Alert’ category. NAMI’s purpose is to advocate understanding and sensitivity and provide support and information for friends, families, and patients suffering from mental illnesses. It is also part of the government’s National Anti-Stigma Campaign.
So… what did Kate Walsh get busted for?
The January 19th issue of LIFE weekend magazine included a short interview profile of Kate Walsh, the actress on the television show Grey’s Anatomy. For “weekend attire,” she stated as her preference: “Men’s flannel pajamas all day. I can look like a mental patient.”
Oops.
Via | Yahoo! News
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10 opinions for Sensitivity Training On the Way for Kate Walsh Too?
Mary
Feb 6, 2007 at 10:27 am
Give me a break! Have you ever been on a mental ward? She is right, that is how we dress there, for the most part. Being part of the so-called “offended” community, I can tell you that I take this off-the-cuff comment as no offense.
Michelle
Feb 6, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I agree with Mary. She wasn’t saying that there was anything wrong with having a mental illness, just that her comfort clothes are typical attire. Having worked on a ward that specialized in patients with mental illnesses, I think she is correct in her statement. There was no slur, so I don’t understand what people are upset about. It would have been different if she had used degrading language or insinuated that there was something inherently wrong with that particular population dressing in those clothes. All she really did is say she wears the same clothes.
JCW
Feb 6, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Well, here’s the thing… if there were those among the mental health community that took offense, she should just apologize.
Granted, it doesn’t seem all that bad to me, nonetheless, there was a time when n*gger and f*ggot were socially acceptable words to use, and as time goes along, people grow more sensitive.
Basically, intended or not, some took offense. I know it seems silly and incredibally P.C., but if you learn that a segment of the population is offended or hurt by your words, it does no harm to apologize and strive not to use them again.
In an effort to prove I’m a reasonable man, I won’t insist she attend Mental Illness Rehab unless she restates the phrase again at a public event.
Mary
Feb 8, 2007 at 10:28 am
OK, reasonable man - I’ll give you this: I understand that while the world is getting PC to the point of ridiculouness, some of the population has a greater responsibility to ensure their speech does not offend others. An all out apology for this, though? She didn’t call anyone a name, or insinuate anything of the sort. I believe she even used a PC term (mental patient) instead of something more offensive like crazy-people, loony-bin, skitzo, etc. Maybe she should have clarified that the mental patient was actually IN a mental ward. Maybe mental patients who are in no need of hospitalization took offense, like KW thinks they all go to work in their pajamas.
Holly
Feb 8, 2007 at 11:34 am
I have to say…. This is going WAY too far. People get offended way too easily if that remark offended someone. Fast food workers are offended by K-Fed- Gays offended by Snickers…. This is ridiculous. What lesson is all of this teaching our children? To, say, get a lawyer when a kid picks on you at school. Take it- brush it off- develop some character and move on.
JCW
Feb 8, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I’m not saying it’s right - I’m only saying that because it has arisen, the thing to do on Kate’s part is simply have her publicist issue a statement saying “Sorry, didn’t intend to offend anyone with mental health issues” - Hell, she doesn’t even have to do anything - she pays people for that, just like Isaiah Washington does.
Has the world grown too PC? Probably. However, considering the current atmosphere of intolerance in this nation, I DO think that the snickers ad, and particularly it’s alternate endings that they showed online, was in poor taste. Depicting violence as a humorous answer to homophibia truly was not a responsible thing to do.
“This is ridiculous. What lesson is all of this teaching our children? To, say, get a lawyer when a kid picks on you at school. Take it- brush it off- develop some character and move on.”
Not bad advice, but there ARE instances where a little sensitivity and monitering of one’s words might also be in order. We must learn to live with slights that come our way in life, but it’s also important to learn when to stand up and protest.
In this instance, I’ll confess it seems a little over the top, but like I said, if someone has been offended, it does no harm to apologize - particularly when you have a paid staff to do it for you.
Allyson
Feb 9, 2007 at 2:48 am
It was definitely not right for her to say a comment like that, but I think that’s one of those things that just slips out and you have no intention to hurt anyone. Which is what I think was the case when she said this, I don’t think she meant to hurt anyone’s because it was not said in a malicious way.
It wouldn’t hurt to apologize though, because she’s in the light more because of Grey’s now…so it’s better not to offend anyone. Even though I still don’t think she meant it in the way it came off.
Dana
Feb 16, 2007 at 5:51 pm
This is why people are sick and not asking for help because they are too embarassed, this is why people commit suicide. Because of people like you, like Kate Walsh. Kate should not have said that and Life magazine should have hired an editor with a brain so it wasn’t printed, there was no reason for either of it. I have a mental illness, I’ve even been a “mental patient” before. I know lots of people that have. 1 in 5 will suffer from a mental illness. We dont walk around in pjs all day. We’re getting help from anything to suicide to anorexia to rape and we dont need people judging us for something we didnt choose. Until you have been there and know what its like how dare you open your mouth. Awareness needs to be spread, not ignorance. Open your eyes and your hearts. You embarrass me.
Lindsey
Feb 21, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Um, Dana, I read that Kate Walsh had bulimia before so if it was offensive, she probably didn’t intend to be because she herself had a mental condition. She had it when she was 20.
“Lucklily, I realized I had a problem and got into therapy, so it was short-lived. I’m a normal looking woman, and I think that’s good for women to see.”
Nancy
Nov 2, 2007 at 8:19 pm
To be honest, I came to this site after doing a search on Grey’s Anatomy Haunt You Every Day NAMI. I think that this actress’ comment is humorous.
First, let me say that I like the show a lot. It’s one of a handful of shows that I watch every week.
Because of personal -very serious, very traumatic and close to my heart– experiences, it bothered me VERY much that when the man came to the hospital asking for his foot to be removed, and Dr. Bailey just offered him some pills and basically tried to get rid of him, there was no hint that perhaps she has not done her job when the patient later sawed off his own foot. This was just one of the show’s usual analogies for the main characters’ issues. The patient’s illness was hardly addressed at all. In fact, the foot seemed like such a big deal, and was dealt with so graphically, but the fact that mental illness is deadly and debilitating was not even an issue. In fact, Dr Bailey was blaming the patient for ruining her night. Come on, the brain is an organ too. Mental illness is NOT given the attention it deserves, in our hospitals, or on TV.
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