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Kim Kardashian West, the wife of rapper Kanye West, has shared a statement on Instagram addressing her husband's recent public appearances and statements.
Concern for West grew as the rapper, who lives with bipolar disorder, began behaving erratically as speculation and confusion grew around his 2020 presidential bid. During a rally in South Carolina, West broke down crying when discussing his family's history with abortion and made widely condemned remarks diminishing Harriett Tubman's contribution to anti-slavery.
West's appearance was followed with a series of now-deleted tweets over several days. The posts accused Kardashian of attempting to commit him against his will, calling his mother-in-law Kris Jenner "Kris Jong-Un," and accusing Kim Kardashian of infidelity for meeting with Meek Mill in a hotel to discuss prison reform; West claimed that he had been attempting to divorce Kardashian because of this meeting with Meek Mill.
On Wednesday, Kardashian posted a statement on Instagram asking the public for "empathy and compassion" as West struggles with his illness. "We as a society talk about giving grace to the issue of mental health as a whole," she wrote, "however we should also give grace to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it the most."
Read the statement below via Stereogum:
As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand. I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.
Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that family is powerless unless the member is a minor. People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.
I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions. He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of a being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder. Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions.
Living with bi-polar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams or creative ideas, no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some. That is part of his genius and as we have all witnessed, many of his big dreams have come true.
We as a society talk about giving grace to the issue of mental health as a whole, however we should also give grace to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it the most. I kindly ask that the media and the public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed to that we can get through this. Thank you for those who have expressed concern for Kanye’s well being and for your understanding.
With Love and Gratitude,
Kim Kardashian West
