IMPROPER DOSE NO. 12
©Ale Zapata
Finally, no shame!
-by Barbora Horská (Curator / Editor-in-chief of Improper Dose)
But first, TRIGGER WARNING!
Despite having already touched on some sensitive topics in the past, this month’s edition goes a bit over our usual amount of “everything that’s wrong (and right and somewhere in between) with the world”.
Participating in Mental Health Awareness Month again, this issue speaks about (but not solely on) suicidal thoughts and suicide – an act that carries even heavier stigma than other symptoms.
As mental health is deeply interconnected with other social phenomena, one of our external contributors sheds more light on Femicide, the murder of women for the reason of being women.
Both topics, however different, are connected through taboos surrounding death.
While we desperately try to hide details to not “inspire” others to succeed in their possible attempts, violence against another is being consumed on a daily basis through news, reality shows and tv drama. Fascinated by the diverse form of the act itself, we overlook the monstrosity of a system whose role goes far beyond enabling.
Each a case of an “act against nature”, they say. Even when it comes naturally and peacefully, Western society tries its best to look away and pretend death doesn’t exist, yet paradoxically contradicts this by searching for immortality. It has invested in a lost cause of preventing natural death rather than healing a system that currently creates conditions where people end their own or another’s life very unnaturally.
Are we really supposed to believe it’s just an error of ways; unfortunate failure on a personal level? Or are we to take a religious angle and see it as an inhumane evil - like some external influence suddenly appeared and interrupted all the good we built? Bad apples, right? “What a sad story, [...] disturbed individual, we don’t know where it all went wrong…” and other alibistic nonsense.
On the other hand it’s truly hard to tell when something went wrong when it never really went well, right?
Trying to be more empathetic regarding mental health issues, we say: “It can happen to any of us.” True indeed… But!
Note, that it is statistically more likely to happen if you are part of a certain group, as racism, sexism and other traumatic forms of discrimination have direct effect on physical and mental health development.[1]
So instead of shame, first let’s choose to understand ourselves and others, to explain rather than excuse, because only with understanding the issue and its cause, can the healing follow.
Surely it can be triggering, but if you are able to manage, continue to...
...our interview with artist Marlene Fröhlich whose art practice authentically reflects on the difficult transition between being a close friend to someone suffering from mental illness to being the “bereaved one.”
...Flora Löffelmann’s essay that will not only introduce you to the topic of femicides, but also explains, without excusing, how patriarchal values harm the well being of all genders.
Also notice our upcoming exhibition “Shame shouldn’t be a symptom” and find out how you can become a part of a participatory project from one of the featured artists; photographer and psychologist Patrycja Stala.
Whether you risked being triggered or not, brighten your day by reading through another episode of Pedro del Real’s comic essay on history of the internet, navigate through anxiety with the help of Andrea Z Scharf’s sketchbook, and finish up with Lina Piskernik’ Plant Erotica series, Part 3.
If you still have some energy, take a last minute chance to see Martina Genetti’s film selection for the Human Rights Film Hub.
See you next month!
(Hopefully carrying less shame for whatever experience you have been taught to hide)
[1] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/effects-of-racism
And one big Thanks goes to my fellow “Improper” Elizabeth Spouse for making my writing skills (not only) look better by making last minute edits to my non-native English texts.