With the unfortunate passing of celebrity figures, it always
seems to have effects on the public. The devastating loss of a well-known
figure in society, along with his child, has parents all over holding their
children a little tighter. “Girls are the best” expressed Kobe
Bryant to ESPN’s Elle Duncan after she shared the news of her pregnancy with
him and that she was having a girl. Duncan went on to share the memory that
Bryant continued to tell her, “I would have five more girls if I could,
I’m a girl dad.” Since sharing her story, the hashtag #girldad has gone viral
with tributes from both fathers sharing special moments and daughters
expressing gratitude.
Bryant’s role as a father to four daughters and his strong
support of women’s athletics later in life have emerged as essential parts of
his legacy. Kobe Bryant’s unexpected death leaves the world grieving, searching
for answers and tributes have been pouring in from all over the world for the
deceased athlete.
Richard Harris, professor of psychology, says many people
develop relationships with media characters in a similar manner to how they do
so in real life. A phenomenon referred to as parasocial interaction, a
one-sided relationship commonly observed between celebrities and their fans.
“We don’t have the social structures and support for grieving the loss of
a media character,” Harris says, “as a result, social media postings
can turn therapeutic for some devoted fans or supporters,” Harris says.
Fellow celebrities have also taken to social media sites and other mediums to
mourn the loss of fellow stars or influential people (2).
“Fan mourns not only the loss of the celebrity but other
aspects of their personal life which have become bound-up with the celebrity,”
says Michael Brennan, a sociologist at Liverpool Hope University. “When we
think about a public figure, we often reflect on when we first became aware of
them, or when their work began to resonate with us so personally. Hearing the
news of their deaths forces us to reflect on that time. We feel nostalgia for
it and may even regret the passage of time. So although we may outwardly
express the fact that we’re mourning for the particular person, that’s not
really the case. Instead, we’re mourning who they were to us, and who we were
when we discovered them” (1).
Kobe Bryant may forever be remembered as a basketball legend, still, to his daughters and others that knew him, he was also a “girl dad.”
Article written by Jessa J.L. Jansen References:
(1) Foley, Katherine Ellen. “Feeling Grief Is a Totally
Normal Reaction to a Celebrity Death.” Quartz, Quartz, 8 June 2018,
qz.com/1301069/when-celebrities-die-its-normal-to-feel-personal-grief/.
(2) Kansas State University. “News.” Celebrity Deaths Often
Have Pronounced Effects on Their Audiences,
www.socialworktoday.com/news/dn_071312.shtml.
