Parents’ Group Asks For The Term ‘Anti-Vaxxers’ To Be Retired, But They Won’t Be Pleased With The Alternatives Suggested By Twitter
You have to be careful what you ask for on Twitter. An organization of “crazy mothers”—if they’ve already reclaimed that accusation, who knows why “anti-vaxxer” is the one they take issue with—have released a statement asking the media to call them “vaccine risk aware,” calling the widespread use of “anti-vaxxers” derogatory and inflammatory. Commenters put forth their criticisms of the proposed term, not to mention hundreds of scathing alternatives.
Maybe people would not have such an “inflammatory” attitude towards anti-vaxxers if they did not spread repeatedly debunked information that is contributing to the resurgence of measles, a disease previously eliminated in the US. As for whether it “marginalizes women and their experiences,” we would guess that women who choose not to put their kids at risk of contracting preventable diseases (which they could also pass on to immunocompromised people and infants who have not yet received their vaccinations) don’t have much of a problem with it.
Here is the original post from the group’s Twitter account
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Twitter users showed that they have a host of other, almost funny if not a bit dark, names they could be calling campaigners against vaccinations. One compared the group’s demand to that of TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) who have deemed that term derogatory despite doing… well, what the acronym says…
Commenters also added that if these self-described “crazy mothers” were as aware of the risks of vaccines as they claim to be, they would know that said risks are negligible compared to the risks of the diseases they prevent, as organizations like the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization will tell you.
However, some are suggesting that responding to anti-vax talking points with repeatedly proven counter-evidence does little to stop the spread of their lies, and that we should be focusing on removing their platform to repeat them in the first place. What do you think we should be calling groups like this—if anything at all?
Comments came pouring in and Twitter users were having none of it
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Bloody anti-vaxxers! I'm autistic, and when the day comes that I have children, I WILL GET THEM VACCINATED!!!!
I'm autistic, vaccinated and NOT DEAD! Autism is better than death anyday even if it was linked to vaccines
I have 3 children, one of which is on the autism spectrum. All have been vaccinated. My oldest brother has been profoundly deaf since birth because my mother had rubella (german measles) during the pregnancy. The vaccine (MMR) that prevents this from occurring was not available at the time. I am so sick and tired of these anti-vaxxers. STFU and GTFO!
My brother, sister, and I were vaccinated. None of us are autistic. My son was vaccinated. He's not autistic. The friends that I have who had children have all had their children vaccinated. One is autistic. My ex girlfriend did not have their child vaccinated, they are autistic. Autism isn't caused by vaccines. And the lack of vaccines does not guarantee a child will not be autistic.
I was autistic before the MMR was even invented, and as for my parents who have a fine range of autistic traits between them, there were barely any vaccines in wartime UK. I'm reasonably sure that autism has genetic causes.
That’s true! Autism Spectrum Disorder has multiple causes, and most cases (or all, they’re not sure) can be traced to specific genes, both inherited and not. But there’s a lot of those genes, and everyone has different ones (there’s more common ones, though). Post script: I don’t know how old this data is, and there is a good chance it’s changed.
The one and only genetic link to autism - and this is LONG from being determined to be a fact - is that older fathers have a higher risk of having kids with autism. This needs a heck of a lot more study.
The anti-vax nutters need to take a look at Samoa. 62 people dead so far in their measles outbreak - most under the age of 5. Due to a nurse's mistake last year, two babies died from their vaccinations (muscle relaxant was mixed with the vaccine instead of water before it was administered). This led to more people than usual skipping vaccines. This measles death toll, per head of population, is equivalent to 103,000 people dying in the US. Not to mention most businesses and schools being shut down to stop the spread. That is where not vaccinated will take them. But deep down, they know they can rely on most of the population to do the right thing, get immunised, and protect their pathetic arses, and leave them to pretend, at least outwardly, that vaccines aren't needed.
Me too
True story - when I was in the first grade, we were all taken to the gym where the local doctor, school nurse and two teacher waited for us. We stood in line, were taken behind the curtain, given two shots, ushered over to Mr. Redman (the school janitor) who then gave us a tube full of pink liquid to drink. Once we drank that, we were sent to Mrs. Dunn (the school cook) who gave us each a cookie, choice of chocolate or peanut butter, and a carton of milk. Then we sat on the bleachers until everyone was done and then we got to play for 30 minutes. NONE OF US DEVELOPED AUTISM.
I love this one!
Yep. We were taken one class at a time to the school nurse's office and a team of nurses from the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses, it's a Canadian thing) vaccinated all of us. We had all had the smallpox vaccination as babies already.
Chances are, some of you are autistic. Because people are, not because of the vaccines. Many are unidentified, many are able to get by as neurotypical, many are just 'that quirky guy.'
Not sure why people are downvoting you - you didn't say that autism resulted from that day, just that some of that group likely are autistic and don't know it. I didn't know I was til my 40s - and I didn't have the MMR, it wasn't even invented.
@Erin Take some reading comp classes ffs! She stated some could be, NOT because they got vaccinated, but because it naturally happens, and in a group that large chances are high that at least one is on the spectrum!
Erin, don't be an idiot. Nobody said they did. Obviously you can read, but you need to learn to understand what you read.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Don't be a douche. No one developed autism after that day.
In Australia we got nearly all our vaccines at school ( after the baby vaccines of course). The curtain was so if a kid fainted ( some do) the rest of the line does not panic. The pink liquid was probably the Polio vaccine. We were told about vaccines the day before, probably had a parent consent form - some kids are allergic to parts of vaccines. We were just told we were brave and doing the right thing, no cookie bribes needed.
I like "pro-plague". Short, and a perfect description.
I prefer 'indirect new age murderer' The WHO says that "vaccine hesitancy is one of the 10 largest threats to global health".
"A Measles Outbreak in Samoa Has Killed 53 People and Infected 2% of the Population" https://time.com/5742417/samoa-measles-outbreak/
I am sorta rooting for pox-positive and polio party too. All three just roll of the tongue so well.
It's because of alliteration.
Pro-plague ois a good one. I also like pox-positive.
I have read time and again that measles is making a comeback thanks to anti-vax bugnuts.
Hey Freya i like a.v. bugnuts.
Bloody anti-vaxxers! I'm autistic, and when the day comes that I have children, I WILL GET THEM VACCINATED!!!!
I'm autistic, vaccinated and NOT DEAD! Autism is better than death anyday even if it was linked to vaccines
I have 3 children, one of which is on the autism spectrum. All have been vaccinated. My oldest brother has been profoundly deaf since birth because my mother had rubella (german measles) during the pregnancy. The vaccine (MMR) that prevents this from occurring was not available at the time. I am so sick and tired of these anti-vaxxers. STFU and GTFO!
My brother, sister, and I were vaccinated. None of us are autistic. My son was vaccinated. He's not autistic. The friends that I have who had children have all had their children vaccinated. One is autistic. My ex girlfriend did not have their child vaccinated, they are autistic. Autism isn't caused by vaccines. And the lack of vaccines does not guarantee a child will not be autistic.
I was autistic before the MMR was even invented, and as for my parents who have a fine range of autistic traits between them, there were barely any vaccines in wartime UK. I'm reasonably sure that autism has genetic causes.
That’s true! Autism Spectrum Disorder has multiple causes, and most cases (or all, they’re not sure) can be traced to specific genes, both inherited and not. But there’s a lot of those genes, and everyone has different ones (there’s more common ones, though). Post script: I don’t know how old this data is, and there is a good chance it’s changed.
The one and only genetic link to autism - and this is LONG from being determined to be a fact - is that older fathers have a higher risk of having kids with autism. This needs a heck of a lot more study.
The anti-vax nutters need to take a look at Samoa. 62 people dead so far in their measles outbreak - most under the age of 5. Due to a nurse's mistake last year, two babies died from their vaccinations (muscle relaxant was mixed with the vaccine instead of water before it was administered). This led to more people than usual skipping vaccines. This measles death toll, per head of population, is equivalent to 103,000 people dying in the US. Not to mention most businesses and schools being shut down to stop the spread. That is where not vaccinated will take them. But deep down, they know they can rely on most of the population to do the right thing, get immunised, and protect their pathetic arses, and leave them to pretend, at least outwardly, that vaccines aren't needed.
Me too
True story - when I was in the first grade, we were all taken to the gym where the local doctor, school nurse and two teacher waited for us. We stood in line, were taken behind the curtain, given two shots, ushered over to Mr. Redman (the school janitor) who then gave us a tube full of pink liquid to drink. Once we drank that, we were sent to Mrs. Dunn (the school cook) who gave us each a cookie, choice of chocolate or peanut butter, and a carton of milk. Then we sat on the bleachers until everyone was done and then we got to play for 30 minutes. NONE OF US DEVELOPED AUTISM.
I love this one!
Yep. We were taken one class at a time to the school nurse's office and a team of nurses from the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses, it's a Canadian thing) vaccinated all of us. We had all had the smallpox vaccination as babies already.
Chances are, some of you are autistic. Because people are, not because of the vaccines. Many are unidentified, many are able to get by as neurotypical, many are just 'that quirky guy.'
Not sure why people are downvoting you - you didn't say that autism resulted from that day, just that some of that group likely are autistic and don't know it. I didn't know I was til my 40s - and I didn't have the MMR, it wasn't even invented.
@Erin Take some reading comp classes ffs! She stated some could be, NOT because they got vaccinated, but because it naturally happens, and in a group that large chances are high that at least one is on the spectrum!
Erin, don't be an idiot. Nobody said they did. Obviously you can read, but you need to learn to understand what you read.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Don't be a douche. No one developed autism after that day.
In Australia we got nearly all our vaccines at school ( after the baby vaccines of course). The curtain was so if a kid fainted ( some do) the rest of the line does not panic. The pink liquid was probably the Polio vaccine. We were told about vaccines the day before, probably had a parent consent form - some kids are allergic to parts of vaccines. We were just told we were brave and doing the right thing, no cookie bribes needed.
I like "pro-plague". Short, and a perfect description.
I prefer 'indirect new age murderer' The WHO says that "vaccine hesitancy is one of the 10 largest threats to global health".
"A Measles Outbreak in Samoa Has Killed 53 People and Infected 2% of the Population" https://time.com/5742417/samoa-measles-outbreak/
I am sorta rooting for pox-positive and polio party too. All three just roll of the tongue so well.
It's because of alliteration.
Pro-plague ois a good one. I also like pox-positive.
I have read time and again that measles is making a comeback thanks to anti-vax bugnuts.
Hey Freya i like a.v. bugnuts.