What is Liam’s Law? Fans start petition to protect musicians’ mental health following One Direction star’s death
When it was announced on Wednesday 16 October 2024 that former One Direction member Liam Payne had passed away, an entire generation of girls fell into a deep state of mourning. The tragic death of the young artist has prompted an important conversation regarding celebrities and musicians’ mental health. While this is both salient and necessary, some have pointed out a level of hypocrisy among the general public. As much as Payne’s death should prompt greater safeguarding, where was this level of support when Chappell Roan publicly expressed her struggles?
As I’m sure many of you are aware, back in August, Roan faced a lot of backlash on social media from her fans and netizens in general for not wanting to officially endorse Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 US presidential election. Following many TikTok videos and a hell of a lot of discourse across X, formerly Twitter, the ‘Pink Pony Club’ singer subsequently pulled out of a number of shows and shared with her fans that she needed some time away to prioritise her mental health.
Now, months later, with us all still reeling from the shock of Payne’s untimely death, the conversation of mental health is back in the headlines. And again, while I wholeheartedly support this, it does feel upsetting given the little support Roan received. And it looks like there are others who agree with me:
chappell roan was harassed and ridiculed for setting boundaries with her fans and speaking out against genocide. liam payne didn’t die from bullying but from a drug overdose. the “be kind” crowd only care when something tragic happens, especially to a white male pop artist https://t.co/dO1qD1qvAx
— ʀoss 🇵🇸 (@rosseireann) October 23, 2024
Liam Payne’s story is tragic and should lead to change in how young people are treated in the industry.
— leanna ❤️🔥 (@rebelredpocket) October 23, 2024
Chappell Roan is trying to protect her mental health while she is alive and in the spotlight and tbh I would much rather have some canceled concerts than more dead celebrities
I personally don’t believe it’s productive to engage in a conversation where we compare the two artists and their character. However, I do agree with the point expressed by the user @rebelredpocket: “If you’re advocating for protecting artists’ mental health in the wake of Liam’s death, advocate for the living too. We can’t turn back time but we can make the effort to stop the cycle—at least in our personal choices.”
What is Liam’s Law?
The term Liam’s Law has been trending over the past few days across Google and social media. It is connected to a Change.org petition which calls for new laws to safeguard the mental well-being of artists in the music industry.
The petition has been signed by 61,765 people and is still continuing to grow, aiming for a total goal of 75,000 signatures. The description states: “The entertainment industry, acclaimed for its glamour and stardom, is equally infamous for the enormous pressure it exerts on the mental health of artists. Resultant issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, substance misuse and even suicide are alarmingly high. According to research, performers are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from these issues compared to the general population.”
“In recent news of Liam Payne’s tragic death, as many others, the entertainment industry needs to be held accountable and be responsible to the welfare of their artists. We seek to implore lawmakers to create legislation safeguarding the mental health of artists within the industry,” the petition continues.
While there are a number of people on social media who have applauded this petition, others have expressed disappointment and anger at its association with Payne, given some of the harassment allegations the star faced from his ex-partner Maya Henry.
by hell and high water we are NOT naming it liam's law https://t.co/4IyTH338Fr
— autumn (@ghiblijoonies) October 23, 2024
These kinds of moments aren’t always black and white. We as a society can acknowledge the hurt Payne may have caused while also taking steps towards protecting other people who may be suffering, either from addiction or with their mental health.
Liam’s Law may be flawed but it’s not inherently a negative move.
