Doctor’s monkeypox comments reminiscent of early AIDS era
EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is calling on Alberta Chief Medical Officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw to apologize for offensive and homophobic statements regarding monkeypox.
“It is shameful to see Dr. Hinshaw make such hurtful comments, especially during Pride month,” says Susan Slade, vice-president of AUPE, which represents 95,000 members.
Hinshaw said yesterday (Thursday) that men who have sex with multiple men were at higher risk of contracting monkeypox, even though she admitted it was not a sexually transmitted disease.
Slade asks: “Why raise the issue of male gay sex? Are gay men more likely to be skin-to-skin with partners than any other group of people having sex?”
She adds: “This is reminiscent of the attack on the gay community in the early days of the AIDS crisis, when they were singled out and blamed. As a medical doctor, Hinshaw must realize that diseases cross the boundaries of human behaviour. She should also realize the pain her comments have cause to the LGBT2S+ community in Alberta.”
AUPE calls on Hinshaw to apologize for her offensive remarks and to explain why she thought it was OK to single out gay men.
“It’s the 21st century. We really should know better by now,” says Slade.
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