Monkeypox: The Real ‘Don’t Say Gay’

Several months ago, Florida was accused of passing the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, as named by the corporate media. It is actually called the “Parental Rights in Education” law and does not even contain the word “gay.” The law was passed by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Despite the howling from the left over the bill being homophobic, the purpose of the bill is rather straightforward and innocuous, as NBC News reports, “HB 1557 prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in Grades K-3.” What a concept, not teaching these controversial concepts in school to children under age 10, instead leaving it to parents to educate their young children in this arena if they so choose.

Now we have a resurgent viral illness, monkeypox, which is almost exclusively confined to the gay community, and public health officials, through their situational outrage, are screaming “Don’t Say Gay” when it comes to honestly reporting medical facts about this virus.

The World Health Organization, two weeks ago, declared monkeypox a “global health emergency.” At the time of this declaration, there were 16,000 reported cases in 75 countries, and five deaths. At the time of this writing, there have not been any monkeypox deaths in the United States. A few days ago, the White House declared monkeypox a public health emergency in the US.

Why did the WHO declare monkeypox a global health emergency? Because it “has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission about which we understand too little.” Yet in the same announcement they acknowledge, “For the moment the Monkeypox outbreak is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.” 

It sounds like they know exactly the primary mode of transmission, “men who have sex with men.” How do they “understand too little”? Or do they simply want to “don’t say gay”?

The CDC issued an update suggesting, “That people ‘take a temporary break’ from sexual activity until considered vaccinated; limit their number of sexual partners; avoid ‘spaces’ for anonymous sex with multiple partners; use condoms; and wear gloves during particular sexual activities.” They avoided the elephant in the room, specifically the highest risk group, in their zeal to “don’t say gay.”

Good public health means identifying a disease and risk factors for that disease, with recommendations for avoiding high risk behaviors, particularly if such behaviors occur predominantly in a particular population group. Just as health authorities target weight loss messages to the obese or smoking cessation to smokers. It’s not to stigmatize, but instead to be honest, directing resources where they are most needed and will provide the most benefit.

CNN however reports, “There’s a stigma” over the government’s response to monkeypox. NPR agrees saying, “As monkeypox spreads, know the difference between warning and stigmatizing people.” Why is it stigmatizing to acknowledge reality, that monkeypox is largely driven by particular behaviors in a select population?

Is it stigmatizing to men that prostate exam awareness is targeted toward men? Or that breast cancer screening is targeted at women? Viruses aren’t concerned with stigmas or wokeness They spread among susceptible populations, without concern for political correctness or anyone’s feelings.

In the early days of AIDS, public health officials did the same, saying everyone was at risk when in reality it was a disease almost exclusively limited to gay men, IV drug users, and blood transfusion recipients. Awareness campaigns aimed at the high-risk groups made far more sense than telling everyone that they were at risk, needlessly scaring large segments of the population who were at almost zero risk of AIDS. diseases.

We saw this with COVID as well, treating all populations the same in terms of masks, distancing, and vaccinations, rather than focusing attention and resources on the most vulnerable groups. Whether we like it or not, viruses do discriminate and don’t give a whit about equity and diversity, instead preying on whomever they consider vulnerable, regardless of gender, sexual preference, skin color, or religion. In other words, viruses are not woke, unlike government and public health agencies.

Additionally, monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease, yet the CDC is also playing “don’t say STD.” On the CDC website, “Monkeypox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, but it is often transmitted through close, sustained physical contact, which can include sexual contact.” So, it’s transmitted sexually but is not a sexually transmitted disease? How does that work?

On another website, they note that monkeypox spreads through, “Oral, anal, and vaginal sex or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole) of a person with monkeypox.” That description sure sounds like that of an STD. Unless the CDC has redefined sex. Perhaps Bill Clinton can comment on the definition of sex, as he redefined it during his Monica Lewinsky days.

The CDC on another webpage defines STD, “STDs pass from one person to another through vaginal, oral, and anal sex.” So monkeypox fits the CDC definition of an STD by the CDC’s own description, yet is not an STD. This only makes sense to the CDC.

This is like how the administration redefined “recession” from two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, a definition used for decades to some vague holistic view of the current economy. STDs are now being redefined by the CDC.

Also ignored is the potential relationship between COVID vaccines and impaired innate immunity, as this recent paper in Food and Chemical Toxicology describes. Wouldn’t this possibility be of interest to the CDC? Or is this verboten to ask about or discuss?

The CDC’s mission is, “to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.” How is ignoring science regarding monkeypox and transmission providing better health or safety? In their effort to “don’t say gay”, the CDC is doing a disservice to their mission and to the public they are charged with serving and protecting.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, is a physician and writer.

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