Rachel Levine, the Assistant Secretary of Health, recently called on parents to advocate for vaccines at school board meetings.
Vaccine Misinformation Is Rife
Levine acknowledged that most Americans trust vaccines. Regardless, vaccination rates have been declining due to the influence of anti-vaxxers on social media. Levine stressed the importance of parents highlighting the issue to protect the credibility of vaccines and, in turn, the health of US citizens. The Assistant Secretary of Health suggested three steps for parents to follow.
Step 1: Educate Themselves
Levine suggested parents research vaccines and make sure they know the facts about them. She strongly advised them to conduct their research on reputable government and medical websites as opposed to social media to ensure they don’t absorb misinformation.
Step 2: Be Vocal
Levine encouraged parents to talk about vaccines with others wherever appropriate and possible She advised them to share personal stories about their vaccine experiences and discuss the positive ways vaccines have impacted the livelihoods of their families and friends.
Step 3: Engage in School Board Meetings
In some communities, vaccines are being debated in school board meetings. Levine encouraged parents in such areas to participate – even if they’re not comfortable speaking – because their presence in itself can send a strong and powerful message of support.
Building a Safer Future
Levine understood that discussing vaccines might be uncomfortable and challenging for parents. Regardless, she said the conversations are vital to protect the health and well-being of children. The politician stressed the importance of parents playing an active role in keeping public confidence in vaccines strong. If people stop getting vaccines, all the devastating illnesses that have been all but eradicated will return.
Heated Debate Ensued
Levine’s words were shared by various news outlets and across social media. Naturally, a heated debate ensued. One individual wrote: “Vaccines at school shouldn’t even be an issue. It’s these anti-vax parents who want viruses like measles to make a comeback. [They] are the problem.”
Christians Weren’t Impressed
Christians weren’t impressed by Levine’s words. “This is satanic confusion,” one person wrote. “I’m a Christian. I will never, ever defend such abominations, and I will never, ever force them upon my children. Vaccines are the work of the devil. Do not be tempted,” another said.
Others Criticized Anti-Vaxxers
A fair few online commenters criticized anti-vaxxers and discussed the ramifications their ideology could have. “Anti-vaxxers could be the downfall of this country at this rate. Vaccines are much safer than the diseases that could return if people stop getting them. The future could be so, so bleak. Decades and decades of scientific and medical advancement gone. Also, it’s not about profit. Most other developed countries have universal healthcare and they still have vaccines.”
A Fair Few Commenters Resorted to Transphobia
Levine is a transgender woman and, unfortunately, a fair few commenters seemingly lacked anything of value to add to the discussion and, instead, resorted to transphobia. These individuals neglected to mention anything about vaccines in their responses and, instead, made derogatory comments about Levine and her gender.
LGBTQ+ Allies Hit Back
LGBTQ+ allies hit back at the transphobes. “All these transphobic comments have me in fits of laughter. You guys don’t even know enough about vaccines to come up with a decent argument against them so you just decide to leave bigoted messages that have nothing to do with the issue at hand. Hilarious,” one person wrote.
International Commenters Were Baffled
International commenters were baffled by the vaccine debate. “Can somebody please tell me why Americans don’t believe in vaccines? I get that you’re a very religious country and all. But, like, really? Why is it so hard to believe in science? Some of these comments are baffling,” one person wrote. “I think you hit the nail on the head. It’s an extremely religious country. They even let religion inform their politics. That’s why. Also, their education system is trash,” another replied.
Others Commended Levine’s Bravery
Some online commenters praised Levine for speaking out about controversial topics. One person wrote: “She’s completely right. This woman’s bravery actually amazes me. She knows that she’ll be ridiculed no matter what she says because of the amount of transphobia in society. She also knows that she’ll be ridiculed even more for speaking about a topic so controversial – but she does it anyway. Regardless of your opinion of her, you gotta admit she’s got balls (pun intended, and I’m trans, so don’t get offended).”
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