Speaking of Pandemics: How language of “purity” vs. “contamination” can lead to oppression

Pssst… Hey, you… yes you. You with the meme insinuating that people with Coronavirus are intentionally spreading the virus out of selfishness…. Or you sending out the message that all anyone has to do is ‘wash your hands’ and all will be just fine…

Or you, talking about this pandemic in the manner that conservatives talk about climate change…

Or you, insinuating that no one ‘important’ is going to die or becoming aggrieved because the disruptions on the horizon come as an inconvenience….

I hear you. I see you. And so do many others like me. People who, long before COVID-19 dominated the newsfeeds, were already diligently searching for answers regarding chronic, devastating health issues. People whose lives were disrupted because of illness, injury or disability months or years ago. Who lost opportunities on a personal scale long before this pandemic cost opportunities on the broad scale. People who have to wonder what was just sneezed into the air because your minor cold may mean our week or more in bed, hospitalized, or worse.

We hear you disregarding our concern as overblown or dismissing our fear as irrational. But the thing is, we know a thing or two about adapting to unexpected tragedy. So maybe you should be the one listening.