Coronavirus may have spread from China, but given that it is now a worldwide problem, why are so many news outlets continuing to use photographs of Asian people to illustrate their reporting? Is this adding to the issues regarding xenophobia since the outbreak a few months ago?
This question is raised by Nylah Burton over on Vox who argues that the Covid-19 outbreak has led photo editors to a tendency to veer towards racist tropes when choosing images to accompany articles. As she explains, “the outbreak is not confined to — nor can be blamed on — Asian people.”
Various examples are cited, including one instance where a story about an outbreak in Manhattan was illustrated using a photograph of an Asian man wearing a face mask in Queens. Given that the outbreak has gone far beyond Asia and that xenophobia and racism have surfaced as a result of the virus’s origins, there’s a good argument that news outlets should take steps to avoid further stigmatization.
Twitter was quick to cite multiple examples:
Burton is not suggesting that editors and outlets are racist, but it raises the question: does the visual culture of news reporting contribute to xenophobia, and would a change in reporting help to create a sense of unity in fighting coronavirus rather than engendering a feeling of them and us? Leave your thoughts below.
Meh... People have been saying that forever now. Hasn't stopped them to date. I doubt it ever will.
I barely go on the site anymore. The youtube channel is decent because they keep this shit off there. Ive bought a few of their tutorials and made it very clear when they started doing the political shit i wouldnt be spending any more money on here. The funny thing is ill make a comment that might not be totally politically correct and get a like from Patrick or Lee. Not really sure why they dont put a stop to these kinds of articles.
Because it generates traffic which generates ad revenue. I took the same approach as you but when I saw this article I just couldn't contain myself. This site used to be so informative and so helpful especially for newer photographers. However, the politics and social justice is just such a turn off and calls into question the intentions of the leadership. I fear it's simply a matter of economics and they may have put themselves into a position where revenue is more important then retaining loyal readers. The divisive articles about race, politics, social justice and sexism is over the top. I can find that crap on CNN or Fox news. This used to be an escape but they've chosen to bring garbage into the mix and I don't want it.
Its really like maybe two writers that keep on pulling this shit. I might hust send Lee and Patrick a private message. The comment section should tell them how the majority of people feel about articles like this. From there they can make the decision to allow it or put a stop to it and keep the articles to photography and video.
Yeah and I know exactly who the other writer is.
I suspect it has more to do with the availability of stock images. Go to a stock photography site and search for photos of people with face masks - guess what you will find? A: a lot of asian people.
I thoroughly agree and in a couple of more years we'll see more of a mix of people in those photos.
How about talking about the importance of free speech? The whistleblowing doctor named Wenliang Li "李文亮" is now dead. He was an eye surgent who decided to warn people about the upcoming pandemic, now his wife is a single mother with an infant. Thanks to Socialism's top-down policies every single layer of leadership is responsible for his higher leadership instead of the people Li was detained and silenced. Fear of the international PR mess, the government kept his deceased body on life support for an extra day to pretend he is not dead. If he would've able to talk we could have delayed and suppressed the situation in Italy, S Korea, and now the USA. Yes, Freedom Of Speech and ending the socialsim governance of China should be the takeaway, not the "Racism" rubbish.
Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but might it be that masks (until recently) were more commonly found in Asian countries, especially Japan? I think if editor/reporter were looking in their files for a picture of a person wearing a mask, there probably wouldn't be many of a Caucasian wearing one, no? Maybe they just used what was at hand?
Yay.......i bet people didnt even think about bullcrap like that untill some self appointed SJW
pops up and plays the race/gender/etc card......
Best examples are Vox and Buzzfeed etc.....they just need clicks so they poop stuff like that
into the netsphere.
I am surprised they havent blamed toxic, hetero, old, white, privileged men for the virus itself yet.
Well said. Oh and they already have blamed a hetero, old, white male. Trump. They're blaming him for this.
I've heard plenty of Asian people complain about it, but I suppose most probably would't notice it. I like your photos, btw.
The Woke-o-harams are trying so hard to white knight every "racial minorities" it's bloody disgusting.
Is there a way to down vote this shitty article?
The wet markets in Asia are where almost all these similar viruses come from, and to date, no Asian country is banning them. The woke need to go away with their false phobia crap.
I get the point. But be careful making too fast conclusions. Denmark is one of the countries in Europe having the highest raise in Corona registrations in the latest days. I walked a couple of hours in Copenhagen today (A nice sunny day after months of wet and grey weather), and guess what?!... I almost didn't see any masks at all. The typical Corona photo is someone (Asian) carying a mask. It's kind of the symbol of Corona. I saw three persons carying a mask on my walk, it was a an Asian family...
It's not new to see asian people carying a mask in Copenhagen. It was normal before Corona, and I guess it is normal by culture (air poluted big cities in Asia?).
Having said this, I also know there's lack of masks in Denmark because some people has been buying them. However those people is apparently not the people walking the streets to enjoy a sunny day...
Masks in Asia, well in Japan anyway, aren't only to safeguard against disease and pollution. They are also worn for the following reasons:
1) privacy;
2) in an image conscious society like Japan, wearing makeup is a given for women and some of them won't be caught outside without it. A mask relieves them of the worry about how their face looks;
3) lifestyle. Some people have just worn masks for so long, they actually feel uncomfortable without them;
4) in spring when there is hay fever, they are a godsend for many people;
5) it's a societal thing. Everyone does it.