Right-Wing Media Is Attacking Francesca Hong for Mental Health History
Over the weekend, right-wing media, including the Post Millennial and the Gateway Pundit, resurfaced a 2023 interview featuring Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong, wherein Hong opened up about a hospitalization for a mental breakdown as a teenager and a previous bipolar disorder diagnosis. “Wisconsin Dem candidate for governor Francesca Hong admitted to being diagnosed as […]
Right-wing media outlets, such as the Post Millennial and Gateway Pundit, recently revived a 2023 interview featuring Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America member and a frontrunner for the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary. In the interview, Hong disclosed she had been hospitalized for a mental breakdown as a teenager and had received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
The Post Millennial article described Hong as "admitted to being diagnosed as mentally ill," while the Gateway Pundit's Patty McMurray claimed Hong blamed her crisis on being an outsider as the daughter of Korean immigrants. The right-wing media have been exploiting Hong's mental health history, potentially contributing to stigma surrounding mental illness.
Hong, who is currently in treatment for depression and takes antidepressants, has stated that her personal mental health journey has made her more empathetic and compassionate. She believes that open discussions about mental health are crucial to prevent isolation and encourage individuals to seek help. Her campaign includes policies to integrate mental health professionals in more neighborhoods across Wisconsin.
The recent attacks on Hong's mental health seem particularly cruel, especially when Republicans have been criticized for their lack of transparency regarding Rep. Tom Kean's (R-N.J.) treatment for depression.
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