HEALTH MATTERS

Danger! Mosquitoes! Sex!

Women were the villains when it came to STDs, as brought to you by the U.S. Public Health Service in the 1940s.

By Claudia Kalb | NEWSWEEK
Published Jul 12, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Jul 21, 2008

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  • Posted By: WOULD THAT IT WERE @ 08/21/2008 7:14:50 PM

    To Loriw
    The point of the poster depicting the loose woman did not necessarily have to be sexist. The reason for these wartime posters using a woman to make their point, was because the majority of the lonely and homesick soldiers and sailors were men and very susceptible to the psychology of fatality and "live for the moment". Most of these causes and concerns were well documented and justified.

  • Posted By: wifey25 @ 07/14/2008 4:44:14 PM

    loriw- I would hope that parents taking their children to these museums would be wise enough to explain what these posters represent.

  • Posted By: sensovi @ 07/13/2008 11:31:48 PM

    there is still a stigma for women (and men) with STDs. it's important for people to find a supportive group - check yahoo for one near you. i lead a support group in Charlotte NC and we're going to be putting a form of our group online soon at www.sensovi.com

  • Posted By: sensovi @ 07/13/2008 11:31:21 PM

    there is still a stigma for women (and men) with STDs. it's important for people to find a supportive group - check yahoo for one near you. i lead a support group in Charlotte NC and we're going to be putting a form of our group online soon at www.sensovi.com

  • Posted By: loriw @ 07/12/2008 5:05:59 PM

    I am all for museums and the preservation of historical artifacts but I have concern about younger children and what they might take away as their impressions of this artwork. What is especially concerning is the emphasis on women as the perpetrators of VD/STD's. Young men may falsely believe that they cannot pass on STD's or that the responsibility for prevention falls on women alone.

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