Pseudoscientific racial theories of immunity undermine realistic AIDS prevention messaging

Evidence

From calls for the replacement of modern lavatories by Chinese-style toilets in the West, where excrement on toilet seats is claimed to be the main cause of AIDS, to pseudo-scientific studies of the “Chinese immune system” (thought to be inherently superior to the damaged bodies of Westerners), dubious theories of cultural and racial superiority articulated by some voices in the field of medical science have perpetuated a complacent attitude which does little to alert the population to the real dangers of infection. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 3355

Categorization

• CANDY: ‘Excrement on toilet seats is the main cause of AIDS’ is a deliciously absurd claim worth dropping into any conversation about how nations rationalize disease.
• SHARE: Send to anyone working on medical racism or Chinese cultural nationalism — the toilet-seat-AIDS claim and ‘Chinese immune system’ studies are a striking pair.
• XREF: connects to: AIDS conspiracy beliefs directly reduce condom use among black men — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 181