When we talk about vaccinations in 2019, the debate usually centers on the parents and their decision on whether or not to go through with it. But what about their children's wants? Many anti-vaxxers' children, who have yet to turn 18, are deciding for themselves that they want vaccines and are looking for a way to make it happen.
How do we know? Just look at what a young Minnesota Redditor posted:
"I am writing because I am the 15 year old son of an anti-vaccine parent," he wrote. "I have spent the last 4 years trying to convince my mother that vaccines are safe. I haven't succeeded. So instead I am trying to research how to be vaccinated without my mother's consent."
He went on to link to all of the legal information he found on the subject, most of which stated that minors cannot receive services without consent.
And after doing his own thorough research, the teen learned he likely could only get the Hep B vaccine without consent. So he turned to Reddit to discern how much legal trouble he'd get in if he got the rest without consent.
"My question is if I have missed anything or am misunderstanding anything. I don't think I can receive any vaccines except the hepatitis vaccine without parental consent.
What legal consequences can I face if I fake my parent's signature giving me consent to vaccinations besides the hepatitis vaccine?"
People responded in droves to help the young teen.
A few folks noted that before he went off to get vaccines on his own, he should seek out supportive adults to help him get the vaccines he wants.
And a few adults reminded him that forgery is, in fact, a crime.
When the teen pressed just how much legal trouble he could get it, someone noted it could be three years in jail or a $5,000 fine.
Ultimately, the teen decided to wait until he was 18 to be safe.
His question, however, opened up a huge online debate and raised awareness that there are teens looking for such answers and options. In a time when body autonomy is essential, just how much should we give to minors when it comes to vaccines?
These stories are based on posts found on Reddit. Reddit is a user-generated social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website where registered members submit content to the site and can up- or down-vote the content. The accuracy and authenticity of each story cannot be confirmed by our staff.
