Dear Walmart,
Let me start of by saying that suicide is not a joke. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I can assure you that joking about mental illness is not okay. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and it isn't something that should be taken lightly. I'm guessing this wasn't taken into consideration when there was a "Suicide Scar Wound" Halloween makeup kit listed on the website. Unfortunately, I am unable to use the actual photo.
Even though the product has since been removed from the website due to the enormous amount of outrage that it sparked across the internet recently, it still doesn't excuse the fact that the product was actually allowed to be listed in the first place. I read about this listing a few days ago on Facebook, and was shocked that something like this was allowed to happen. As a writer, I feel like it's important to touch on these current issues because like many others, I have a voice and I want to be one of the many that are heard.
What's really appalling is that a product such as this one was even created to begin with. It just doesn't make sense that someone would see suicide as a form of a joke for Halloween. While Halloween often entails lots of gore, this is no exception to that. It's just absolutely mind-blowing to think how often mental illness is put at the center of Halloween costumes every year. In my experience, I have actually seen Halloween attractions depicting mental institutions. Mental illness is not a costume. It is very real, and there are so many people that struggle with it everyday. I can see how some may disagree with these arguments, because it's all really supposed to be in the spirit of Halloween, but for someone like me who knows people who have struggled with mental illness and self harm, it is extremely offensive because the pain and hardships that they go through are very real.
There are people who struggle to get out of bed everyday because it's seems to be too much for them to handle and they'd rather sleep all day than face the world around them. There are those that can be triggered by things such as fireworks because it brings them back to the battlefield where bombs went off, all because they risked their lives to fight for our country. People are often so traumatized that they suffer from conditions such as PTSD. There are people that hear and see things that are not really there and that's honestly scary to think of what that must have be like living like that everyday. With the hundreds of other disorders that exist, there are also people who contemplate suicide on the daily because they feel like their illness is too much or that they aren't enough. Some may even contemplate suicide simply because they are too afraid to as for help for fear of being seen as "crazy" or "insane". It's truly upsetting to see how people portray mental illness now and have been doing so for many years. These people can not help the conditions that they suffer from. They are simply human like the rest of us, and they just sometimes need people that will understand and give them the help that they need.
While I respect the fact that the costume has since been removed, it's still shocking that it was listed to begin with. It took the staff seeing the amount of outrage that it caused to actually remove it and make a statement about it. Everyone has their own opinions on these types of issues, but the way the public views mental illness really needs to be changed. It's never something that should be joked about or wished upon anyone. So, to those of you who may be struggling or know someone who is, I encourage you to seek help because there people out there that care and that will give you the care that you need to get better.
Sincerely, an advocate for change
