Mental Health Issues Affect Everyone, So Why Are We Less Accommodating To Women and People of Colour?
The treatment of Naomi Osaka and Meghan Markle is disgusting and speaks to the grotesque nature of journalism, which allows middle aged white men, to act appallingly. And wider society isn’t any better.
When Naomi Osaka initially said that she wasn’t going to do press at the French open, the usual daggers, came out, severely criticizing her decision. The organizers of the French open, doubled down and threatened her with expulsion. And given the formidable person that Naomi Osaka is, she withdrew altogether.
The statement that she put out, in the aftermath of her withdrawal, in light of the events of the last few days was extraordinary.
The best thing for the tournament and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis in Paris. I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer. I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.
“The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that. Anyone that knows me knows I’m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I’m often…