In an interview with Politico, the following words came out of Cassidy’s mouth: “About a third of our population is African American; African Americans have a higher incidence of maternal mortality. So, if you correct our population for race, we’re not as much of an outlier as it’d otherwise appear. Now, I say that not to minimize the issue but to focus the issue as to where it would be. For whatever reason, people of color have a higher incidence of maternal mortality.”

There’s a lot to unpack here. Let’s start with the idea that Cassidy—who wants to defund Planned Parenthood is all, Yes, on its face, our maternal mortality rates are abysmal, but if you only count white women, they’re not that bad! Then there’s the phrase “for whatever reason.” In fact, there is one very big reason in particular— perhaps you can take a guess? “It’s no mystery why maternal mortality rates are so high among Black women,” Michelle Williams, the dean of Harvard’s School of Public Health said in response. “They are high because of the devastating impacts of structural racism and individual bias.” As Politico notes, Black mothers are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white mothers in the U.S., which has the worst mortality rate among developed nations and where “17 mothers die for every 100,000 pregnancies in the country.” In Louisiana, Black mothers are four times as likely to die than white mothers

Source: Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy: Our Maternal Death Rates Are Only Bad If You Count Black Women | Vanity Fair

Source: 3 more monkeypox cases confirmed in Quebec, bringing Canadian total to 5 | Globalnews.ca

Staff at clinics are already having to isolate if they have come into contact with anyone infected. In London, where most of the UK’s 20 identified cases have been detected, sexual health clinics have stopped people walking in altogether. The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV said it was concerned about the effect on other infections. Cases of monkeypox, which is generally mild, are rare outside Central and West Africa, but about 80 cases have been confirmed in 11 countries, the World Health Organization says. Infections were confirmed in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, the US and Canada, as well as the UK – where the first European case was reported. The WHO says another 50 suspected cases are being investigated.

Source: Monkeypox: Doctors concerned over impact on sexual health – BBC News

Source: Black Celebrities Who Have Died from COVID-19

Source: Hungary’s Far-Right President, Promoter of “Great Replacement” Theory, Headlines CPAC Gathering – Havana Times

Source: Mask Mandate Extended In LA’s Airports And On Public Transportation | LAist