The monkeypox epidemic has recently broken out in many countries in Europe and the United States, but the European and American media have frequently used black photos when reporting related content, which has triggered racial controversy. "Wouldn't it be more logical for the media to use images of local hospitals in Europe and the United States?" The African Foreign Journalists Association (FPPA) issued a statement on the 21st to protest that the use of African photos has promoted "negative prejudices" and "blamed the disaster on African races" and " .
Screenshot of the Association of Foreign Journalists of Africa (FPPA) tweet
Reuters reported on May 23 that as of now, nearly 20 non-monkeypox-endemic countries around the world have reported a total of more than 100 cases of monkeypox, these confirmed and suspected cases are mainly from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, and the rest are distributed in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States.
It is understood that monkeypox virus is a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the same pox virus family as smallpox virus, and has previously been found in central and western African countries such as Nigeria.
Monkeypox virus spreads from person to person through close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding. The incubation period for monkeypox is usually 6 to 13 days, but it can also be between 5 and 21 days. Monkeypox is self-limiting and symptoms usually resolve within 14-21 days. Severe cases are more common in children and immunocompromised people, especially those living with HIV, and are associated with viral exposure, patient health status, and severity of complications.
WHO has repeatedly stressed that most of the monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and the United States have no history of travel to Africa.
For the reasons for the spread of the monkeypox epidemic in many countries in Europe and the United States, the British Sky News Network reported on the 23rd that Dr. David Heymann, chairman of the World Health Organization expert group, described the unprecedented monkeypox epidemic in Europe as a "random event", and he believed that the epidemic may have spread through sexual transmission between gay and bisexual men at two carnivals in Spain and Belgium. Experts in Europe warn that the rare virus has the potential to be transmitted from humans to pets and then to wild animals, and it could become a endemic disease in Europe.
According to the Associated Press, a number of health experts who have monitored the outbreak of monkeypox in Africa said they were confused about the recent spread of monkeypox in Europe and the United States, and the outbreak may not be related to Nigeria, more like a "new situation" in the country.
However, some European and American media still frequently use black photos with pictures when reporting on the local monkeypox epidemic, so the Kenya-based African Foreign Journalists Association (FPPA) issued a statement on Twitter on the 21st, attacking the "racist" monkeypox reports of the Us and European media dominated by whites.
The ABC reported that the "hands of black monkeypox patients" was used with a picture
The BBC reported using "photographs of black patients" with illustrations
In a statement, the association accused media in Europe and the United States of using black images to report on monkeypox outbreaks, which fueled "negative stereotypes" and blamed "African races for the disaster." The statement also questioned: "Are the European and American media 'protecting white innocence' through 'black crime or culpability'?"
"This virus can occur in any part of the world, regardless of race or ethnicity ... No skin color should be a representation of a disease. The statement demanded that European and American media should avoid using images of people with black and dark skin and African skin tones to describe the monkeypox epidemic in Europe and the United States, so as not to be "unpleasant" .
In a statement, the Association of Foreign Correspondents of Africa suggested: "Wouldn't it be more logical to use pictures from local hospitals when reporting on monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and the United States?" If this is not possible, an electron microscope image of the virus can also be displayed. ”
In addition, the association urged editors of news organizations outside Africa to update their image policies, condemning their employees for using images of Africans, people of African descent or Africans "to describe outbreaks of disease or disaster."
For this practice of European and American media, many Twitter netizens also said that "the pictures and texts do not match", misleading readers.
Some Twitter netizens said: "If you only look at the photos, you will think that the monkeypox epidemic is breaking out in Africa, because the Western media choose photos of black African hands to tell this story." And when you read it, you will find that the epidemic is spreading in Europe and the United States, and has nothing to do with Africa. ”
Some Twitter netizens said that the epidemic occurred in Europe, not Africa, but the Western racist media involuntarily used Images of Africa to show 'monkey pox'. When people point out that there is systemic/institutionalized racism, their voices are drowned out.
Source: Observer Network Li Li