ABAW Denounces the Use of Racial Language to Describe the Coronavirus & Racist Attacks on Asian Americans

12 Apr 2020 2:43 PM | Serin Ngai

ABAW Denounces the Use of Racial Language to Describe the Coronavirus & Racist Attacks on Asian Americans

The ABAW finds the use of racial terms to describe the Coronavirus/COVID-19, such as the “Chinese virus,” or the “Wuhan virus,” to be unacceptable, inaccurate, and racist.  The virus does not discriminate, and racializing a disease results in promoting xenophobic sentiment and discrimination. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) both recognize the harm and inaccuracy in racializing the virus and naming new diseases after people or places; the damage of using such terms has a direct impact on ethnic and minority groups.  Such discriminatory language promotes and provokes anti-Asian sentiment, xenophobia, and anti-Asian attacks, which have been occurring in Washington state and throughout the country.  All Americans should be united during this unprecedented time to combat the Coronavirus and should be mindful and aware of how we are describing the virus for the health and safety of all.

Please visit the Center for Disease Control to further educate yourself and others on the pandemic and how to reference it. 

To report incidents of hate due to the Coronavirus pandemic, please visit the following links:

CAPAA

Stand Against Hatred

Public Integrity

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software