So blacks now self-identify as Monkeys or what ?
''New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Wasan has asked World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Ghebreyesus to rename "monkeypox" because he believes the name is stigmatizing and can offend members of a number of races, including blacks , as well as the LGBT community. Vasan stated this on his Twitter, and also attached a copy of the letter to the head of WHO.
“We are growing concerned about the potentially devastating and stigmatizing effect that discussion of the monkeypox virus can have on vulnerable communities,” Vasan wrote. He emphasized that many experts are also concerned about this, given the "painful and racist history in which terminology like this is associated with communities of color."
The commissioner recalled that the virus now spreading did not originate in monkeys and was named so only because it was identified during the study of primates.
According to Vasan, misperceptions about the term "monkey pox" may prevent people from seeking medical attention. He recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hate crimes against Asians and Pacific Islanders has increased significantly, stressing that the language used in healthcare matters.
“We fear the consequences of stigmatization. associated with the term "monkey pox", may be exacerbated by the fact. that in many cases the transmission of the virus occurs between gay men, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, That is, part of the community that is already facing stigmatization and violence, ”explained Vasan.
In mid-June, the WHO had already announced that it was working on renaming "monkeypox". The representative of the organization noted that diseases should be given names that would not harm any groups of monkeys .''
