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Recently, Jen Gotch, founder of the lifestyle brand ban.do, released the nameplate-style necklaces with the words “Anxiety,” “Depression,” or “Bipolar” on them.
Jen, who herself has Bipolar Disorder, said in a statement that we can all work towards removing the stigmas around mental illness and she hopes that the jewellery is a “step in doing that and I hope they can also serve as a conversation starter for people to be more open about what’s going on in their minds.”
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Ban.do also donates 100% of all proceeds from the line to Bring Change to Mind, which is an organisation that aims to end the stigma around mental illness. They will also donate 1% of all site profits to the organisation for the month of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S.
So it sounds like the intent behind the necklaces was good and it was created to be more like a badge of honour than a way to make light of the seriousness of mental illness, but many people are concerned about the message the necklaces is actually sending especially since not everyone who sees them will know the story behind why they were created in the first place.
READ MORE: What should you do when your partner is mentally ill and you’re not?
People on Twitter were especially concerned and there was quite some discourse around the accessory.
Yikes pic.twitter.com/8vhwZVRBr1
— Ja'mie King (@CrueIla) May 27, 2018
Awareness maybe? Like when bracelets for cancer emerged to spread awareness of the different types of illness? Considering these things taboo/offensive pushes the stigma surrounding mental illness to continue if you ask me :/
— kathryn (@kannchy) May 28, 2018
u can totally tell this is not for awareness tho?? it’s for “fashion” and using mental illness for a fashion statement is offensive if u ask me :/
— bad ghrl bri bri ? (@chinchlady701) May 28, 2018
But these are being sold in honor of mental health awareness month and the profits are even going to that cause... if their purpose was to fully capitalize on MI, why would they do such a thing? Their founder has even opened up about struggling personally with MI
— kathryn (@kannchy) May 28, 2018
1% of the profits are going to an organization. They are for profit
— nicole ?? (@dipodids) May 28, 2018
Did you bother to read anything further than what was presented to you here? This means that 1% of sales from their ENTIRE site (filled with products not involving MI at all) is going to the organization, and 100% of sales from the necklaces are going to the org... pic.twitter.com/CEwKnIqCgP
— kathryn (@kannchy) May 28, 2018
K I read more of this thread. but I still don’t like it at all bc majority of people who see this necklace will not know that it’s to be worn for awareness. Like obviously if people are getting so fired up about this they’re not doing it right.
— emerald mara?? (@emeraldthegirl) May 28, 2018
So there’s a lot of debate as to whether it’s just being used as a fashion accessory or if it will actually start a conversation around mental illness.
Ban.do had this to say in response
these necklaces were designed by our founder jen who has bipolar disorder and all net proceeds from these necklaces go directly to @BC2M, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health and to raising awareness, understanding, and empathy.
— ban.do (@shopbando) May 28, 2018
so far we have seen a conversation open up about mental illness - both positive and negative- and we really appreciate your thoughts and opinions on the subject. if you want to learn more about our initiative head to https://t.co/6CvMnv0BEI
— ban.do (@shopbando) May 28, 2018
As someone who suffers from both anxiety and depression, I get both sides of the coin here. While I would never wear this necklace because to me it feels like using my mental illness as a fashion accessory is a bit weird.
But then again I think that getting a semi-colon tattoo (which is a symbol of mental illness awareness and suicide prevention) is kinda cool and I would like one, but wearing a necklace that actually has the word “depression” on it sounds like a vapid way of drawing attention to my disorder.
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Other ways to highlight mental illness could be:
- to use a symbol like the semi-colon symbol instead of a word so that those curious, might ask the wearer questions around it and spark awareness.
- to encourage more conversation around these illnesses by inviting people who may not know much about it to be a part of the discussion.
- to offer to donate your time or money to causes like SADAG or find out about other ways (like becoming a counsellor) you can get involved with people who are mentally ill.
READ MORE: What is gaslighting? 8 signs your partner is trying to drive you crazy
I’m not getting one, but would you? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter.
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