THE SARS CRISIS IN HONG KONG: A FEMINIST CHALLENGE TO SOCIAL POLICY

This paper concerns the risk that women faced during the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong in 2003. The concept of a "risk society", which is developed by Ulrich Beck, has made a major contribution to our understanding of the SARS crisis. He points out that risk is not equally distributed among all people in society, but adheres to patterns that are based on class and gender. He also suggests that the increasing trend of individualization has created a set of obligations and responsibilities to people, any individuals who failed to avoid risk are seen as personal failure and to be blamed. During the SARS crisis, women were more likely to be infected by the virus, as the primary care takers of the family, in the community, and being health care workers in hospitals. However, women were at risk not only due to their role as carers, but the dominant and authoritative discourses that undermined their claims for protection. This paper attempts to deconstruct the discourses of the roles of women in health crises, and to discuss how the discourses interplay with other social structures to construct a "reality", to marginalise and silent women in a crisis situation.