Disease-Related Stigmas, Their Origins, Their Persistence, and Have We Learned Anything to Stop Them? A Comparative Look at HIV/AIDS and COVID-19
This event serves as a sister event to At the Crossroads: COVID-19, Racism, and Disinformation and one in a series of events and content for our Pride Month programming at the Wilson Center.
This June for Pride Month, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is interrogating how LGBTQI+ issues are intertwined with our ongoing work. We have all bore witness to the uptick in hate and violence targeted against AAPI communities directly related to stigmas caused by fear-mongering around COVID-19. Scapegoating marginalized communities for infectious diseases is nothing new. LGBTQI+ community members were especially targeted and harassed during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 80s and still face deeply engrained stigmas today.
This event will ground the audience in the histories of disease-related stigmas and their effects on policy. Stigmas are not a micro problem but a macro one that can shift public opinion and by proxy political will. Through our discussion, we will interrogate the obstacles to mitigating scapegoating on the basis of disease and what we can do now so that the next pandemic isn’t used against vulnerable populations for political gain.
This event received support from the organization Out in National Security for speaker engagement and messaging.
Send questions for our panelists during the event via tweet by using the tag #PrideAtWilson!
Speakers
Moderator
Hosted By
Science and Technology Innovation Program
The Science and Technology Innovation Program (STIP) serves as the bridge between technologists, policymakers, industry, and global stakeholders. Read more
Maternal Health Initiative
Despite global attention and calls to action, women continue to die while giving birth. The Maternal Health Initiative (MHI) leads the Wilson Center’s work on maternal health, global health equity, and gender equality. MHI works to connect issues critical to global health and women’s empowerment to foreign policy and US leadership, with a focus on improving the lives of women, adolescents, and children around the world. Through collaborations with policymakers, academia, donors, and practitioners, MHI produces cutting-edge research, fosters cross-sectoral engagement, increases awareness of key issues, and informs US leadership on solutions for ending maternal and newborn deaths and addressing gender-based global health issues. Read more
Kissinger Institute on China and the United States
The Kissinger Institute works to ensure that China policy serves American long-term interests and is founded in understanding of historical and cultural factors in bilateral relations and in accurate assessment of the aspirations of China’s government and people. Read more