Why Comparing People to STIs Enforces Stigma: A Reminder on Respect and Language
Hi, it’s me with a reminder about why we shouldn’t compare people to STIs 👋🏻
Labeling someone as a sexually transmitted disease or infection as a means to discredit them enforces STI stigma.
If you are framing this person and their platform as “bad” and are using a specific STI/STD to reinforce this message, what you’re really saying is that STIs and people who have them are also “bad.”
People ≠ STIs. STIs are actually more common than most people realize. Globally, there are an estimated 1 million new STIs each day (per @who), many of these being acquired asymptomatically.
There are definitely people in this world that truly suck. But if you want to critique a public figure and/or their platform, please explore a more creative vocabulary.