Here’s a really, really hot take from the Huffington Post’s opinion section by University of Oxford Professor Emily Cousens, who hopes that the U.K. doesn’t win the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. If it did, you see, it would just perpetuate the myth that you have to be white, male, and Oxford-educated to be an effective leader when the countries most widely praised for taking control of the coronavirus pandemic are led by women.

We suppose we don’t have to mention that Cousens teaches women’s studies and her area of research is “vulnerability and gender.”

We have to quote a little bit here because the whole thing’s amazing:

If there is enough vaccine to go round, the UK will be the world’s saviour. We’ll quickly forget the devastating delay of the UK government to take action, as Boris Johnson proudly safeguarded British institutions like individual liberty, and the pub, over lives. We’ll forget the lessons that the pandemic has taught us so far: that the UK and the US are in fact not exceptions at the global stage. That we are not only vulnerable but can also afford to learn lessons from countries, regardless of whether we have a special relationship with them – such as South Korea. That being white, male and Oxford-educated may not be the only criteria for effective leadership (the countries whose responses have been most widely praised, Germany and New Zealand among others, are all led by women). … This war-time rhetoric is useful in instilling a sense that this is a moment when individuals need to make sacrifices and put the country first. But this time, the enemy is not a nation. It is a microbe. So why do our collective solidarities end at the border?

So instead of Orange Man Bad, it’s Boris Johnson Bad, so wouldn’t it teach both the U.S. and U.K. a lesson if some other country came up with the vaccine first?

With faculty members like that, I'm not sure how Oxford could possibly claim to be a paragon of British excellence — David Burge (@iowahawkblog) April 23, 2020

"Before you give Oxford researchers too much credit for inventing a coronavirus vaccine, remember: this is the same place that hired ME." — David Burge (@iowahawkblog) April 23, 2020

The "Dr." honorific in the byline is… *chef's kiss* — David Burge (@iowahawkblog) April 23, 2020

She will clearly be a big contributor to the vaccine development effort. — botodd (@botodd8) April 23, 2020

Gender Studies prof equates herself with scientists at world class university, though would rather more people die. — Johnny Philistine (@TejasGator) April 23, 2020

I give @Cousens11 credit for her honesty… It takes a level of courage to publicly express the opinion that gender studies are more important than using science to save lives. smh… — Alan R. Levy (@alanesque) April 23, 2020

I think quarantining has done some strange things to people. Almost can’t blame them. — FilmScoreLove (@ScoreAndOST) April 23, 2020

What on earth is wrong with this person? — MerckZ (@MerckZ) April 23, 2020

I'm not sure. At times like this, desire to win the war against the virus has to take first place. Personal political maneuvering really should take last place, if it takes a place. Whoever wins the vaccine race will get, and deserve, our thanks. — Emily G (@EmmmieG) April 23, 2020

I can't believe this is a real article — Jeremy Heer, CFA, CAIA (@MonocleMan1) April 23, 2020

I'm with you – " If my university is the first to develop the vaccine, I’m worried that it will be used as it has been in the past, to fulfil its political, patriotic function as proof of British excellence." Could a Briton – could a human – write that with a straight face? — Virgil Caine (@Phillip82_2) April 23, 2020

"the countries whose responses have been most widely praised, Germany and New Zealand among others, are all led by women." I wonder which is the cart and which is the horse? — Todd of Mischief (@AndToddsaid) April 23, 2020

I have a theory that if Donald Trump was the Prime Minister of New Zealand they would be fine lol….not sure why people are uber praising an isolated island of 4 million for doing so good with a pandemic. — Social Distancer (@aarond23) April 23, 2020

Is it time to end most of the humanities? Or at least victimization studies? — Tyler Boliver (@TylerBoliver) April 23, 2020

Kill the humanities. Nothing would be lost. — AgainstTrumpDude (@TheAmishDude) April 23, 2020

She's really hoping they don't find the cure to a deadly illness because the institutions and people her ideology commands her to tarnish and degrade would look good. — JDL™ (@acceleratingJoe) April 23, 2020

"Whilst I’m hopeful that I will be able to visit my Dad soon, this must not overshadow the key lesson of coronavirus: international cooperation saves lives. " And she doesn't care how many people have to die to make this statement true. — [email protected] (@pastorbenmontgo) April 23, 2020

That article is what happens when a gender studies professor puts their spin on the pandemic. She's more worried that if the UK develops a vaccine it'll be used to highlight UK excellence. Good grief — Bhess (@Bhess) April 23, 2020

could easily be a @TitaniaMcGrath post. — Moon Pie Yellowjacket (@larryunderstood) April 23, 2020

I bet her college admission essay was a hoot. — The Great Depression (dadbod division) (@johnasaurus_) April 23, 2020

Is this real? — theendisalwaysnear (@kev52257594) April 23, 2020

"Dr Emily Cousens researches vulnerability and gender at Oxford Brookes university and teaches on the women’s studies masters course at University of Oxford." LOL. Of course. — Fed Dept of No Sh*t (@NoShitDept) April 23, 2020

Of course.

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