The Power of Language in Public Health: Reflections on Dr. Walensky's "Impending Doom" Comment
If you haven’t heard, the CDC’s Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, commented on the current upticks in COVID cases across the country, describing the situation as “impending doom.”
Dr. Walensky holds an educational background in the public health field, and, as the current CDC Director, I would say it’s served her well throughout her career. As a sex educator and someone who works intimately with STIs, specifically the language around them, I tend to find myself in conflict with public health professionals’ word choice.
Every year, the CDC’s Annual STD/STI Surveillance Report is released with another descriptive adjective about rising STI cases which lands news outlets into frenzy. US Government agencies like the CDC, who are seen as one of the leading experts on STIs, hold power in their very presence. Leaders, like Walensky, are an extension of that power, voice, and future action (or inaction) of the people.
One can argue that it’s “just semantics” and that it “doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things,” but from my perspective and experience, language, especially from those in positions of power, enforces direction, and in this case, panic. While it’s not exactly like abstinence only education, there is overlap in palpable fear, rather than a confidence in educating the public on how to rectify the realities of the current situation. At this point, we’ve been living through this for a year—we have to inform the public without instilling additional fear, additional trauma.
Language is powerful, and while this isn’t an attack on the public health field or its professionals, it exemplifies the necessity for individual and collective growth. It provides a need for connection with other fields with different perspectives so that we can continue to learn from and support one another in our shared missions.