Mayim Bialik

[chonies]

Apr 2, 2014 22:02:57 GMT -4 Gigiree said:

I would be interested in seeing data supporting that the MMR vaccine combo being a trigger for autism. From what I can find, the only research linking it was the Wakefield study, which has been completely repudiated. I'm also not really understanding the stance that the combo, which has been given for more than 40 years, is less safe than three individual shots. However, I'm open to seeing studies that support this conclusion.

I forgot another brick in the post-Wakefield redaction anti-vax wall: some say medical studies are unreliable because either clinical trials are sponsored by drug companies, and the medical establishment tends to circle their wagons against nontraditional treatment. The latter item appeals to the mindset of some people who think they are a minority voice or a lone point of view, and the former is not entirely untrue, although perhaps not as widespread as people think.

[Augustus]

Also there is a major flaw in most clinical trials, as most of them are done on predominantly men. Women have those pesky hormones which can skew the data, whereas men of course don't. And since often there's more than one clinical trial before it's officially approved, they want a reliable test group where the results may or may not be reproduced under the same conditions. Also for some heavy duty meds, women are excluded for fear of affecting a woman's fertility as a possible side-effect etc. which is understandable.

So when we read the instructions on the packaging most of it is based on results tested on men. Women can take the same safe medication and have a very different outcome, depending on age and where you are in your cycle.
It's only been quite recent where the medical world have come to understand heart disease manifests itself differently in women, and while all previous knowledge is correct it only applies to men.

[bailey]

The issue I focus on is the anecdotal evidence vs. population studies. If there are adverse effects on some individuals, that may or may not be the case, and they are certainly unfortunate. But without vaccinations, there would be a lot more deaths. There is no guaranteed solution to prevent disease with guaranteed safety for everyone. The people who decide to not vaccinate are depending on the rest of us to safeguard their children. I am involved in Rotary, which has the goal of eradicating polio. The world was very close to being polio free until the Muslim clerics in Africa declared that vaccinations were an evil peril of the western world, and within a year there were enough new cases of polio that the whole worldwide program was set back by at least a decade. It is very sad on an individual case by case basis, if it is fact that vaccinations trigger autism, but as a member of society I would rather take that risk. Lower numbers of autism than deaths.

I am also sceptical of the increase in autism incidence, I do think there is an increase in diagnosis and reporting. We need to be very careful in analysing numbers.

All of this should be easily understood by someone with a PhD in any science. I admire Mayim Bialik, but I don't necessarily approve of her lack of scientific rigour. And I find attachment parenting incredibly weird. It works if her kids never enter the mainstream world, but when they have to deal with other kids, they will be really weird, and that can be difficult to navigate.

[Ginger]

Mayim's Howard Stern interview popped up on my youtube and I have no willpower so I listened. It's a great interview and I'm surprised at how much Howard seems to respect her.

She talks about AP and vaccinations. She says she does not believe that vaccines cause autism, and she has vaccinated her children "for some things" (including polio) but waited until they were a little older.

[scarletprincess]

My alma mater - Boston University - is awwarding an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to her at Commencement in a few weeks.

[Deleted]

Mayim's blog post about being inundated with sexy ads was linked in the Ariana Grande thread because Mayim is no dummy and putting the new popular pop star in the title draws attention. Her "who's that?" comment is so. much. bullshit. 

I mean, I know that society is patriarchal and women are expected to be sexy and sexually available no matter what we do in society, but I guess now I need to explain that to my sons?

Yes, please do. It's actually a lot easier to delve into complex social topics with your kids by using pop culture references as a starting point.

All of the offensive images Mayim referenced were of adults, including Ariana Grande, who have the right to present themselves any way they want to. And they are relatively tame because this is America. Try traveling through Europe with the kids and get back to us. Here is the Masters of Sex ad Mayim referenced. Really? This is a problem? I couldn't find the infamous Ariana Grande billboard. This might be it. If it is, it's pretty ridiculous that Mayim is all stilettos!plastic surgery!underwear! and implying that there's something shameful about it. 

There’s also some billboard for a new show about teenagers in school or something and one of the girls depicted is I guess the “mean girl” and she is flipping the bird in her poster. She’s clearly a young teenager, but I’m wondering why I need her giving the finger in this ad.

Would it kill her to do a little research and tell us what this show is? Anyway, the mean girl cliche is another excellent starting point for conversations. And if you expect your kids to go through life never being exposed to someone flipping the bird or cursing, good luck with that. Elementary school is the typical age when parents are put in the position having to explain to their sweet and innocent children who have taken to blurting out fuck and shit when and if those words are appropriate. No harm done.    

I'm all for calling out the over-sexualization of women (especially young women, and most especially underage girls), but Mayim has skated right over that issue and twirled her way into this petty nonsense about the horror of her child being able to read a billboard that says Masters of Sex (just tell him it's a show on a channel our family doesn't watch for crying out loud!)

[discoprincess]

Off-topic but I didn't even recognize Lizzie Caplan in that Masters of Sex poster.

If Mayim had mentioned Britney Spears Rolling Stone cover, she may have strengthened her argument.

ETA:

Sept 15, 2014 15:04:53 GMT -4 @highondegrassi said:

Mayim's blog post about being inundated with sexy ads was linked in the Ariana Grande thread because Mayim is no dummy and putting the new popular pop star in the title draws attention. Her "who's that?" comment is so. much. bullshit. 

I took this to mean that she may have heard of this Ariana Grande (like I may have heard of the sames of some of the celebs who have threads), but she's not familiar with her music or understand why exactly she's famous.

[Deleted]

Yeah, but I don't think so. It's very easy to quickly find these things out. She put Ariana Grande's name in the title. The least she could do was find out who this young woman she's using as an example of all things unholy actually is. I'm pretty sure Mayim knew exactly who Ariana Grande is when she wrote this.

[Hamatron]

Seriously. This lady stresses me out.

If you are going to shame some grown women for wearing underwear on an album cover (she could also be wearing a swimsuit or summer shorts and a bra top in that pic...), do a damn Google search so you don't sound like some out of touch grandma shouting about things you don't know about. If you're going go call someone out, you should be knowledgeable of the artist and their work.

Also, tough luck there, lady. The world isn't going to cater to your parenting style. Your kids are going to have all sorts of awkward questions for you that you might struggle to answer. But you should try, Mayim. It's called parenting. You know, that thing you are supposed to be really into.

[scarlet]

Maybe Mayim needs to move to a remote farm in Arkansas or Iowa away from them there evils in the big city like billboards with ladies showing off their shoulders.

Jesus, she's taxing.