Activism Against Stigma

This study examines how YA literature, featuring characters with anxiety disorders, can serve as a resource to support teachers’ and students’ understanding and discussions about mental health, while creating spaces to discuss these topics and promoting activism against stigma and misconceptions about mental illness. Two novels, “You Asked for Perfect” and “Under Rose-Tainted Skies,” were analyzed using critical discourse analysis and Vygotsky’s constructivism. The findings suggest that YA literature can enhance understanding of mental health, stimulate discussions about mental illness, foster empathy, and serve as a valuable resource for teachers and students in promoting mental health literacy and challenging stigma.