Recently, I had a conversation that stopped me in my tracks.

Someone mentioned a game they’d been playing, and it turned out to be Dungeons & Dragons. I lit up! Not because I’m a hardcore fan, but because I’ve played a few games before and genuinely enjoyed the experience. It’s creative, collaborative, and surprisingly therapeutic.

But what surprised me most wasn’t the game. It was the reaction.

As I shared my own experience, someone nearby laughed and called us “nerds.”

It wasn’t meant with malice, but it stuck with me. It reminded me just how often people feel the need to judge what they don’t understand, and how often communities that bring us joy, connection, and belonging are dismissed because they don’t “fit the norm.”

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is about community.

And I want to take that theme a step further:
It’s not just about being in a community, it’s about how we treat other communities too.

Communities can take many forms.

A friendship group.
A team at work.
A group chat of people with shared interests or identities.
A yoga class.
A workplace book club.
A thriving online fandom.
A religious group.
A support network.
A whole fandom of Taylor Swift fans… yes, I’m calling out the Swifties!

And yet, some communities get celebrated, while others get shamed.

Too often, we pass judgment on what we don’t understand. Whether that’s a person’s hobby, their identity, or the support systems they turn to. And that judgement can be quietly harmful. It sends a message that some forms of belonging are more valid than others. That some people’s comfort zones are less worthy of respect.

Why does this matter for mental health?

Because when we feel accepted, we feel safer.
When we feel part of something, we feel less alone.
And when we feel judged, we disconnect. From ourselves, from others, and from the support we need.

The Mental Health Foundation puts it beautifully:

“Having a sense of belonging to a community and feeling connected to other people is vital to our mental health and wellbeing.”

I couldn’t agree more.

So this Mental Health Awareness Week, I have one ask.

Let’s think not just about the communities we belong to but how we speak about the communities we don’t.

Let’s replace judgment with curiosity.
Dismissiveness with respect.
And shame with support.

Whether someone finds belonging in Dungeons & Dragons, a fan group, a cultural space, a marginalised identity, or a niche hobby- if it makes them feel safe, connected and whole, that’s something worth honouring.

Because community should be about connection, not conformity.