How charming is this logo?:
Portland Hearing Voices is a new organization meant to support people who hear voices in their heads, see visions, or have other unusual sensory experiences. It welcomes those who take medication and/or accept diagnoses as well as those who do not. They are also working on public outreach to educate people on what it means (and what it doesn’t have to mean) to have these experiences. Tonight is the inaugural event, at which they will be showing the 1995 BBC documentary Hearing Voices, in which doctors and voice-hearers explore various means of coping beyond just drugging the crap out someone.
At a time when social services are being compromised, it’s especially important to understand mental differences, the effected populations of which have in various societies been honored as spiritual convoys, exorcised as victims of evil spirits, as well as having produced some of humanity’s best creative work. Locally, Portland has the prominent and painful memory of James Chasse to serve as a reminder of the consequences of misunderstanding mental variations, the de-stigmatization of which would make all of us a lot safer.
Tonight’s presentation of the film will be followed by a community discussion. It takes place at 6 pm tonight in the downtown Central Library’s (801 SW 10th) public meeting room, and is free and open to the public.
I like that logo, but I think it’s telling me to do things. Evil things.