Stephen Fry should resign from being President of MIND (warning about sexual abuse)

[EnthusiasmDisturbed]

According to Stephen Fry from an interviews he gave in the US

There are many great plays which contain rapes, and the word rape now is even considered a rape,” he said. “If you say: ‘you can’t watch this play, you can’t watch Titus Andronicus, or you can’t read it in a Shakespeare class, or you can’t read Macbeth because it’s got children being killed in it, it might trigger something when you were young that upset you once, because uncle touched you in a nasty place’, well I’m sorry. It’s a great shame and we’re all very sorry that your uncle touched you in that nasty place, you get some of my sympathy, but your self-pity gets none of my sympathy because self-pity is the ugliest emotion in humanity.

“Get rid of it, because no one’s going to like you if you feel sorry for yourself. The irony is we’ll feel sorry for you, if you stop feeling sorry for yourself. Just grow up.”

How can he keep his position with such an attitude. Everyone who works in MH knows of the horrendous impact that sexual abuse can have on someone's life for some it's a life long struggle.

Maybe it's his own feelings that he is fighting against, this is not the first time he has been shown to lack empathy but to have such opinions

I hope he steps down

[OurBlanche]

Did we all report it? I hope so.

Whilst the debate was a tad heated it was at least vaguely sane, based n individuals and differing opinions.

That is just unnecessarily nasty!

[OurBlanche]

I too hope the thread remains...heated, offensive in all the 'right' ways but, until then, quite measured, as AIBU goes

I hope that MNHQ just remove the post

[OurBlanche]

They have already said they want to discuss it with him as it does not truly jibe with their overall aims.

[EnthusiasmDisturbed]

Yes I have and know a number of people who also have who work in MH some have worked for MIND

They have put out a statement saying they shall discuss the issue with him. I rather he stepped down

[Waltermittythesequel]

They have already said they want to discuss it with him as it does not truly jibe with their overall aims.

I imagine they're hoping he'll step down. But I think pigs would fly quicker than he'd resign.

I genuinely think he's far too arrogant to do the decent thing and resign.

[WaspsandBeesSting]

Jeez appleland Completely unnecessary

[MrsHathaway]

He has expressed it badly but people are always ready to jump on him and they don't necessarily really read what he says.

He's articulate and clever enough to know exactly what he was saying, how it would be reported, and how it would be received.

He may know the difference between self-pity and PTSD, but he isn't exactly proving it. Given that his remarks contain the kind of things MIND campaign to debunk, it's entirely appropriate for them to reassess whether he's a suitable patron.

[IrenetheQuaint]

It would have been so easy for him to have made his point in a considered way. Whereas in fact he seems to have made an effort to be massively insensitive to abuse victims.

When I was young 20 years ago Stephen Fry seemed genuinely great, funny and clever and sensitive, but since then he's degenerated into a pompous self-righteous twat.

[Dontyouopenthattrapdoor]

He's always been a dick, he just changes which particular group of people he wants to insult and patronise. Arrogant arsehole who isn't nearly as clever or original as he thinks he is.

[Waltermittythesequel]

It would have been so easy for him to have made his point in a considered way.

That's the crux of it, isn't it?

He knew what he was doing and what he would cause.

It would have been so easy for him to make his point. But this is all he does lately; make outrageous, conceited, bullshit statements designed to shock so he can keep himself in the spotlight.

It would be sad if he weren't so vile.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Yes I'll email MIND.

Happy?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

I know the context of the discussion, what I didn't know is that the no platforming and call for safe spaces on campuses was being done by victims of child sexual abuse. Nor have I seen or heard of art not being free because of objections from CSA survivors. Can anyone point me to where this is the case?

[Lilyargin]

Nasty place?Maybe to Stephen Cuntface Fry. I think he meant a nasty touch .
Thoroughly obnoxious man. Love the comment about stupid people thinking he's clever.
I will write to mind. We all should.

[VoldysGoneMouldy]

I'm more inclined to think he's having a mental health episode himself rather than just being an arsehole. He has a history of self destructive behaviour, including deliberately inflaming situations. He has spent years working for MIND, and encouraging people to access support, talking outloud about his own experiences to make people feel safe in accessing mental health treatment. To make a statement like this one, which is completely vile, is so contradictory to all of that work, unless he's suddenly changed his mind and thinks everyone should suffer in silence, would indicate a downward - or upward, even, to mania - spiral.

He also has discussed in the past how his own experience of abuse was handled in a 'push through it' manner, so it is completely plausible that experience, being combined with moving towards either depression or mania, has caused this very unsavory moment.

[Goingtobeawesome]

OurBlanche, yes I reported and I've reported Itsmine too.

Think before you post, especially when repeating stuff that is definitely going to be deleted.

[Ilovetorrentialrain]

Alisvolatpropiis. Yes I'm happy I suppose. I just can't stand all talk and no action when people feel strongly about something. See it a lot on here.I hope you don't take offense at me asking - none was meant.

[Ilovetorrentialrain]

Offence even!

[Goingtobeawesome]

I don't need permission to report. Merely saying so MNHQ don't get loads of reports.

Mary's, no harm you didn't see the comment but definitely harm was/ could be caused by what was said.