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It all started when a former president began labeling COVID-19 as the “China Virus.” The immediate aftermath was an alarming rise in hate crimes against East Asian individuals. The pandemic itself was frightening enough, but the added violence against the Asian community made it even worse. In nearly every public address about the virus, derogatory comments were directed at Chinese and Asian people. As a result, since March, the United States has seen a staggering 150% increase in hate crimes targeting Asians, particularly in cities like New York and Los Angeles. This surge in hate can be traced back to the careless rhetoric from one misinformed leader.
Today, even some scientists contribute to this problem by naming different strains of the virus based on their geographical origins, such as the “Brazilian strain” or the “African variant,” rather than using a more scientific designation like SARS-CoV-2. This kind of language reinforces harmful stereotypes and can lead to bias against entire ethnic groups. When phrases like “China virus” or “South African variant” are repeated, they can activate biases that may have been previously dormant in individuals’ minds. According to the World Economic Forum, our brains tend to make quick judgments based on repeated information, leading to systematic thinking errors and unconscious biases. If we aren’t mindful, we risk associating an entire ethnicity with a virus, unfairly placing blame on them for a global health crisis.
The virus, scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2, does not discriminate, and we shouldn’t either. We have enough to worry about with the pandemic itself; we don’t need to add racial discrimination to the mix. Using terms like the “Brazilian variant” not only perpetuates bias but also fosters a tendency to isolate ourselves within our comfort zones, avoiding interactions with those who are different from us. As noted by Lean In, this phenomenon—known as affinity bias—can lead us to favor those who share our appearance or beliefs while alienating those who do not.
Karthik Johnson, a community researcher, explained to NBC News that such rhetoric from influential figures can shape narratives and societal attitudes. In the case of the former president, his frequent use of social media and public speaking to frame the narrative likely exacerbated feelings of animosity and fear directed at Asian Americans. Over the course of four years, his words fueled hate, which flared dramatically in March 2020, coinciding with a spike in COVID-19 cases and accompanying violence against Asian communities.
Racial bias can manifest in both explicit and implicit forms, and regardless of how it’s expressed, it can inflict emotional and physical harm. Our society has long neglected the reality of racism, but the former president’s language has forced us to confront it. We have the ability to turn this around, and it starts with the words we choose to use.
In February 2020, a university student named Alex Chen from Singapore faced a brutal attack on the streets of London. The assailants shouted that they didn’t want the virus in their country. Chen responded powerfully on social media, stating, “Racism is not ignorance — it’s hate. Racists find reasons to justify their bigotry, and the backdrop of the coronavirus has provided them yet another excuse.” He couldn’t be more accurate.
To dismantle the racial stigma linked to various names for the virus, we must refer to it by its proper name, not by its country of origin. Let’s call it what it is: a disease without a face, race, or ethnicity. For more insights on this topic, you can check out this engaging post on home insemination and learn more about the importance of addressing health issues without bias. Additionally, Intracervical Insemination offers authoritative insight on related matters, and Mount Sinai provides excellent resources for pregnancy and home insemination.
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In summary, using racially charged language when referring to COVID-19 has serious implications. It contributes to hate and discrimination against specific communities, leading to harmful biases that can affect lives. We must choose our words with care and recognize the power they hold in shaping societal attitudes.