Health campaigners call for an end to the use of the word leper

Derogatory use of the “L-word” has increased during Covid and is said to be further marginalising people with the curable diseaseHealth campaigners are calling for an end to the use of the word leper, saying the language frequently used by politicians and others during the pandemic has made people with leprosy even more marginalised.The metaphor of the socially outcast “leper” has been used often, whether in media reports on stigma againstearly Covid-19 patients or by politicians inItaly andBrazil complaining about being seen as “leper colonies”. Campaigners now want an end to the use of what they call the “L-word”.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Global development Infectious diseases Medical research Microbiology Science Philippines World Health Organization Asia Pacific Source Type: news