August is National Immunization Awareness month. Most Americans believe in the life-saving benefits of modern day vaccinations, and we have the technology and innovation to thank for these important medical strides. However, there is one increasingly visible public figure who holds troubling beliefs on Western medicine: Marianne Williamson.
No, she is not just a novel entry into the presidential race; she also denies many widely accepted medical practices. In as late as 2012, Marianne Williamson was promoting anti-vaxx ideology on her radio show. While on air, she stated she struggled with the idea of vaccinations for children, and agreed to the notion that vaccines cause autism–which has been proven false many times over.
CNN reports that Williamson’s radio show urged listeners to “be awake” and “do your due diligence” when deciding whether or not to vaccinate your child. Since declaring her run for president, she has changed her tune and now claims she is "pro-vaccination, pro-medicine, pro-science." Do we believe this flip-flop?
I say, no. Because since her coming to light moment on vaccinations, she has doubled down on other anti-modern medicine practices.
Following the second rounds of Democratic debates Marianne Williamson criticized antidepressants, specifically saying they were “numbing the pain” instead of legitimately helping various mental illnesses.
Rolling Stone reports that “Williamson’s comments on the use of antidepressants to treat mental illness are significant, in that the vast majority of credentialed mental health experts would deem them wrong. SSRIs like Prozac have been on the market for long enough that there is established consensus within the scientific community that they pose relatively low risk for most people.”
The Twitter mob responded and #INeedMyMedsMarianne trended for days to come. On social media people shared success stories, and cautioned against the stigma that Williamson was furthering. Degrading mental illnesses and medical treatment for them is blatant propaganda for the anti-modern medicine cult Marianne Williamson wants to erect in America.
Williamson has continued to deny her anti-modern medicine beliefs, yet the reporting has continued. For this, Williamson blames an “ancient strain of misogyny.” Instead of owning up to her very recent anti-medicine, anti-science, and dangerous remarks, the presidential hopeful remains aloof.
National Immunization Awareness month is the perfect opportunity to correct misperceptions about modern day medicine. In IWF’s Takeaways document, we provide the need to know information on vaccinations.
If not modern day medicine, then what would Marianne Williamson prefer? Sorry, but essential oils will not do the trick. Williamson is best known for her spiritual advising, and self help books. Maybe president is not quite the right job for her.