Jameela Jamil responds to accusations she has faked illnesses

To say it’s been a rough month for Jameela Jamil would be an understatement. Instead of celebrating the end of her hugely successful series The Good Place (a finale people actually liked!) and her next major gig as a judge on the upcoming reality series Legendary, Jamil has been forced to defend herself on social media after being questioned about her sexuality and health. The latest development in Jamil’s no good, very bad February has the actor being accused of Munchausen syndrome.Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder where people act as though they are suffering from a physical or mental illness when in fact, they are healthy. According to writer and development executive Tracie Egan Morrissey, Jamil has been lying about her numerous injuries and health conditions, including injuries from two car accidents, one of which left her with permanent spine damage, congenital hearing loss, and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which can cause loose and painful joints, skin stretching and abnormal scar formation.Morrissey began uploading what she calls inconsistencies in Jamil’s health history on her Instagram stories, pointing out conflicting dates and repeating conflicting stories from various interviews. The writer also told Page Six that ‘people have come out of the woodwork’ with their own stories about Jamil, which she has yet to post.Jamil responded to Morrissey on February 13, sending the writer direct messages that Morrissey later shared with her followers. According to Morrissey, Jamil wrote “This was really disturbing to see. I’m a real human being, and someone who has suffered extreme mental health issues, already being battered globally this week, and this… is how you use your time..?”

 

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Some weirdo stalker started a viral conspiracy thread on my having munchausens apparently. She thought that because my car accident stories was “different” .... that’s because they were about two separate car accidents 13 years apart. In her rush to bully and drag, she forgot to read... ? But after a few hours of feeling upset that I’m being gaslit and targeted for harassment... I sort of realized... oh. Ok. Some people have sad, empty lives. And doing this gives them some purpose. And I don’t have to do stuff like this because I have a purpose in @i_weigh and all our beautiful policy change and fights for legislation to protect young people. So now I think all of the accusations are hilarious and I’m starting my own rumors. Write your best rumor about me below!

A post shared by Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamilofficial) on Feb 12, 2020 at 4:43pm PST

Jamil has felt forced to defend herself to critics, covering everything from her multiple health issues to a story that she lied about being attacked by bees during a 2015 interview with Mark Ronson. Maybe there was a swarm of bees, maybe there were only two. But for those who have a fear of being stung, even one bee can be terrifying.

Spoke to my friend Jameela. We’re good. also bees suck. https://t.co/bajByHZs2z

— Mark Ronson (@MarkRonson) February 16, 2020

[video_embed id='4887547597001']RELATED: Terrifying moment when thousands of bees swarm office[/video_embed]Posting on Instagram, Jamil is using the latest controversy as a reminder that invisible illnesses are still not taken seriously by many, including those in the health care  profession. Thankfully, Jamil is continuing to forge ahead with her activism, including bringing awareness to eating disorders, destigmatizing mental health, suicide, sexuality and more. “I’ve been in this business 11 years and am a smart woman. I wouldn’t lie in print or on camera knowing how permanent the internet is. Especially knowing how much our media loves to portray women as liars and hysterics,” writes Jamil. “I always own up to any mistake I make. I never hide from it. I publicly learn from my mistakes with other people joining me, so we can grow as a community. I’ll be damned if some lies and conspiracy theories are going to get in my way.”

 

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Thank you @lauriepink for this. I have had to fight like a fucking dog this week against false accusations, people framing my words, and deliberately taking them out of context, trying to discredit my entire integrity, and going after disabled members of my family. And for what? To stop me from being an activist against eating disorders? To stop me from de stigmatizing conversations about mental health, suicides, sexual consent, abortions, women’s rights, trans rights? I’ve been in this business 11 years and am a smart woman. I wouldn’t lie in print or on camera knowing how permanent the internet is. Especially knowing how much our media loves to portray women as liars and hysterics. I always own up to any mistake I make. I never hide from it. I publicly learn from my mistakes with other people joining me, so we can grow as a community. I’ll be damned if some lies and conspiracy theories are going to get in my way. I have work to do. There are rights being taken away from marginalized people every fucking day under the current governments in this world, and the people who try to discredit those doing the work to fight for equality, rather than those trying to marginalize people further, are on the wrong side. At least we’ve started a huge mainstream conversation about invisible illness/chronic illness and the mockery and disbelief that comes with what is already a near impossible existence. So something good always comes of a shit storm. Big love for the messages of support and similar stories of gaslighting you’ve all faced. I’m so sorry. That’s so painful. But we are in this shit together, and nobody can stop us as one, we just have to not let them form cracks in our wall. Have a great fucking Sunday.

A post shared by Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamilofficial) on Feb 16, 2020 at 10:09am PST

Jamil’s boyfriend James Blake has also come to his partner’s defense, releasing a statement that he said he waited to post at the request of his girlfriend. But the British musician can’t stay quiet any longer and says that he has seen firsthand the pain and suffering Jamil has endured as a result of her various ailments.“It’s pretty disgusting to watch the woman I love just be dog piled on every day for such ridiculous things. She hasn’t sold dangerous products to kids. She hasn’t abused anyone. She hasn’t funded anything dangerous or brought any deliberate harm to any marginalized group. She’s just done her best as an ever learning human, as most of us are, to help other people with her privilege,” writes Blake.“I am there for her swollen joints, her dislocations, her severe allergic reactions, her constant high fevers. I was there for her concussions, her three months of seizures when the doctor gave her the cancer diagnosis, and for all her operations and their complications due to EDS,” continues Blake. “I can feel the lumps in her back from the car accident and see all the scars. I am there when she turns down amazing job opportunities because of her health limitations. I actually live with her. Her being attractive, tall, and successful doesn’t mean she hasn’t been sick.”

I would have spoken on this earlier but Jameela asked me not to. Please read x pic.twitter.com/edpC3BRwd8

— James Blake (@jamesblake) February 14, 2020

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