Don’t let AIDS stigma affect monkeypox reaction: Fry

Vancouver MP fears a public reaction similar to AIDS crisis

Vancouver Centre member of Parliament Hedy Fry has warned about stigmatization in the battle against monkeypox, recalling the fear surrounding HIV-AIDS when she was a physician in the ‘80s.

Fry says mistakes made decades ago must not be repeated when the gay and bisexual communities were “afraid and ashamed to come out” because of misconceptions about HIV-AIDS. She was speaking at an announcement where the federal government will give $550,000 to three groups to spend on prevention, education, awareness and anti-stigma activities related to monkeypox.

Fry says that although most monkeypox cases are being reported among men who have sex with men, it does not mean this is the only group susceptible to the disease. She says there was “too much disinformation” during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led people to put themselves and others at risk, so early collaboration on awareness of monkeypox can help stem its spread.

Canada has recorded 1,059 monkeypox cases with 98 in British Columbia and 19 in Alberta.

“It is important to remember that anyone regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and race can be infected and transmit monkeypox if they come into close contact with someone who has monkeypox,” says Fry.

As a doctor the during the early stages of the HIVAIDS epidemic, she said had to deal primarily with the stigma and the fear and the anxiety.

“We knew that it wasn’t spread by drinking out of a glass or by being in the same room with someone, but people had such misinformation and it hurt and harmed a lot of people in the community.”

Fry says everyone needs to work together to prevent similar stigmatization, which could lead to misunderstandings and negative health outcomes. The recipients of the monkeypox funding are the Community Based Research Centre, Health Initiative for Men Society in Vancouver, and the Queer and Trans Health Collective in Edmonton.