It’s Saturday night, it’s The X Factor – the popular talent show which spawned pop superstars One Direction and Leona Lewis. Watched by millions of teenagers every week, its power to influence legions of young fans is undeniable. Which is why mental health campaigners were left baffled, confused and furious when contestant Lola Saunders performed a rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy with a troupe of dancers in straitjackets.
With one in 10 children and young people aged five to 16 suffering from a diagnosable mental health problem – that is around three children in every class – the show’s misguided attempt at Halloween humour was not only bad taste, it was potentially damaging.
It’s not the first time mental health problems have been misrepresented and, in effect, stigmatised. Only last year, Asda had its knuckles rapped for selling mental health patient fancy dress costumes for Halloween, while this year Jokers’ Masquerade was criticised by MP Norman Lamb for selling “schizo” costumes.
[For more of this story, written by Matthew Jenkin, go to http://www.theguardian.com/tea...roblems-young-people]
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