Kelly McFarland
Louis Tomlinson, One Direction band member, Singer/Song Writer and X Factor judge is one of arguably the most well-known alumni of the show, is mentoring the boy’s category this series. Since the show started to air many viewers of the show have continuously praised Louis for showing his emotions, and for how he treats the boys in his category calling him a role model for highlighting that it’s ok for men to show emotion and isn’t something they should shy away from.
Louis has shown his emotional side a few times on the show and has developed a close bond with the acts he mentors within the competition.
It’s not just X Factor where Louis has shown he’s not afraid of showing emotion. The songs he’s written as both a solo artist and as a member of One Direction, show he’s in touch with his emotion.
Having a male like Louis in the public eye, showing that it’s ok for men to show emotion is a positive step in breaking down the stigma that surrounds talking about mental health is something that should be applauded.
An out of the blue earnest tweet:
Many of @Louis_Tomlinson 's male singers throughout @TheXFactor have cried, and not once has he told them not to, to hold it in, or try to make it better. He's just hugged them & let them be. May we all be like Louis to the men in our lives.— Felicity "I kind of regret my show title" Ward (@felicityward) October 23, 2018
Fans of the show like comedian Felicity Ward have taken to Twitter to publicly praise Louis. The Charity The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is an award-winning charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK. In 2015, 75% of all UK suicides were male. The impact people like Louis can have by just letting people be, and to express emotion is so important as you never know how that can help someone. It’s creating awareness and it’s a positive, beautiful thing to witness people opening up and having conversations about mental health.
Do you think Louis openly expressing his and letting others express their emotions on X Factor is a good step forward for mental health openness? Let us know your thoughts @CelebMix!
