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Violet Affleck and mask mandates

335 replies

aold · 24/09/2025 09:44

AIBU think that this shouldn’t be encouraged? Violet Affleck advocating for mask mandates. Daughter of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. Speaking about the importance of masks. Says we should still be wearing them to curb the spread of Covid 19.
Shouldn’t a young privileged woman be enjoying her youth? Is there a reason for fit healthy people like her to still walk around in masks?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15127909/violet-affleck-mask-mandates-long-covid-ben-jennifer-garner.html

OP posts:
usedtobeaylis · 24/09/2025 10:41

I think a lot of people have something they're passionate about and it's usually due to something in their life, and they're quite entitled to advocate for it. You're free to disagree with it, which you are doing here. I never understand why people seem so opposed to just having the conversation.

"I think we should have a mask mandate for this reason"
"I disagree for this reason"

What's the problem?

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:40

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:16

Well she potentially wants to take away the rights of others through compulsory mask wearing. So I’m not sure we can say she’s not hurting anyone. If someone mandated compulsory mask wearing indoors then my life would immediately be impacted negatively.

No she doesn't, she wants to take away your right to breathe in pathogens by bringing clean filtered air to public buildings, the horror! Plus she may also wish to bring back healthcare workers wearing masks in hospitals.

CallMeEvelyn · 24/09/2025 10:39

Mental health disorders should be treated privately and not given a public platform, I'm afraid.

WhereAreMyAirpods · 24/09/2025 10:39

Finteq · 24/09/2025 09:49

I think she has mental health issues.

Of course she can wear a mask but she shouldn't be trying to force everyone else to wear one.

Exactly this. Violet can wear whatever she wants to wear. But she has zero right to dictate what other people wear.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:39

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:37

I just had a look what she actually said. She talked about the long term impact of covid infections and advocated for cleaned filtered air to reduce the number of infection. She wasn't talking about mask mandates, but in a previous speech a year or 2 ago she said that mask mandates in medical facilities would be a good idea (Something which a fair number of hospitals in the world still do to reduce hospital acquired infections.) Everything she said is backed by scientific evidence.

"Here's what we know about SARS CoV2. It is airborne, floating and lingering in the air, one infection can result in disabling damage to almost every cell in the body from the brain and heart to the nerves and blood vessels."

Violet also said that "every subsequent infection increases the risk of long movement and places people who already have it in greater danger."

"As Dr. Akiko Iwasaki says, at this point, the whole population is the control group, and after only five years, long COVID has surpassed asthma as the most common chronic illness in children in five years and under," she explained. "

"During her speech, Violet said: "My hope for this event and my belief in this community pressed on the belief that we can and we must do that again. We can recognize filtered air as a human right, as intuitively as we do filtered water. We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary, so that tomorrow's children don't even know why we need it.'

So if she’s not advocating for forced masks by saying those quoted words what do you think she is advocating for. How do we access our right to ‘filtered air?’

Chaosclassic · 24/09/2025 10:38

slashlover · 24/09/2025 10:33

You know that nobody is forcing you to wear a mask at home?

You think children can effectively learn from home with care givers only?

Do you have kids?!

And at home with a 1 and 3 year old. Yes that’s as little time as humanly possible.

They learn from watching a wide range of people, interaction and speech in various scenarios to add context.

slashlover · 24/09/2025 10:37

His speech therapist says she’s never seen a cohort like his - she puts the amount of speech problems and their type down to them not seeing people’s mouths moving during speech.

Sorry, who are these people who never spoke to their kids, or who wore a mask at home? Masks in China have been common for years but they never seem to have a problem.

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:37

I just had a look what she actually said. She talked about the long term impact of covid infections and advocated for cleaned filtered air to reduce the number of infection. She wasn't talking about mask mandates, but in a previous speech a year or 2 ago she said that mask mandates in medical facilities would be a good idea (Something which a fair number of hospitals in the world still do to reduce hospital acquired infections.) Everything she said is backed by scientific evidence.

"Here's what we know about SARS CoV2. It is airborne, floating and lingering in the air, one infection can result in disabling damage to almost every cell in the body from the brain and heart to the nerves and blood vessels."

Violet also said that "every subsequent infection increases the risk of long movement and places people who already have it in greater danger."

"As Dr. Akiko Iwasaki says, at this point, the whole population is the control group, and after only five years, long COVID has surpassed asthma as the most common chronic illness in children in five years and under," she explained. "

"During her speech, Violet said: "My hope for this event and my belief in this community pressed on the belief that we can and we must do that again. We can recognize filtered air as a human right, as intuitively as we do filtered water. We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary, so that tomorrow's children don't even know why we need it.'

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:37

slashlover · 24/09/2025 10:33

You know that nobody is forcing you to wear a mask at home?

And thankfully no one is forcing us currently to wear a mask outside the home either.

mindutopia · 24/09/2025 10:34

My understanding is she has long COVID and probably quite a lot of health anxiety as a result. She probably needs some support, yes. I think it’s a way for some people to hang onto a sense of control over something that feels very out of control.

I know quite a few people who still wear masks and are quite anxious about COVID. Particularly in the US (it’s very different there than here). I’m immunocompromised and not taking any special precautions, but I have good mental health and launched back into life after COVID. Not everyone has unfortunately.

slashlover · 24/09/2025 10:33

Chaosclassic · 24/09/2025 10:27

Not really. It only works if you have an endless supply of clean high quality masks. Who’s paying for that?

And besides I have a new born and a 3 year old. Facial expressions and talking are much more important to the peaceful continuation of the human race.

You know that nobody is forcing you to wear a mask at home?

User14March · 24/09/2025 10:32

Needmorelego · 24/09/2025 10:23

Yeah years ago and they went to prison for that.
I assume any other parents realise now it was a dumb thing to do.

They now are much smarter about it & play within the rules but some completely game the system. The very dedicated Tiger Mom/Mum types at least.

Nimbus3000 · 24/09/2025 10:31

Are there people out there who seriously think the entire global population should be wearing masks in enclosed public spaces at all times?

I'm sorry I haven read the article as I don't want to accept forced cookies so I may have got this wrong. I live in a major city, work with vulnerable people and I just can't imagine there are people out there who think we should still be living under peak pandemic conditions.

saynotofondant · 24/09/2025 10:29

Masks aren’t without harm. My six year old sees a speech therapist, as do many in his class (those than can afford private sessions that is). His speech therapist says she’s never seen a cohort like his - she puts the amount of speech problems and their type down to them not seeing people’s mouths moving during speech.

Violet Affleck is of course entitled to wear a mask if she likes, and to encourage others to do so, and to raise awareness of their importance. Mandating their use is just nuts though. Her speech at the UN was garbled and rushed, so I doubt she was chosen for her public speaking skills.

I was also thinking MH problems or - I know this is so trite to say and I always roll my eyes when others suggest it out of nowhere - but possibly autism.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:27

Needmorelego · 24/09/2025 10:23

Yeah years ago and they went to prison for that.
I assume any other parents realise now it was a dumb thing to do.

Oh God sorry. That’s was YEARS ago 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. 2017 - three years before Covid was publicised. It’s almost as though 2020 was also a long time ago and most of us have moved on from Covid. Not all though.

Chaosclassic · 24/09/2025 10:27

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 24/09/2025 09:56

Ah, I knew it wouldn't take long before the bullshit really started.

No, masks don't filter out ALL pollutants, airborne viruses etc. No-one claims they do but it's a strangely common strawman put up by disingenuous people such as yourself. Almost like you're following a script.

What a mask does is reduce the risks. Not eliminate, but reduce. In the same way that a seatbelt doesn't eliminate the risk of injury in a car accident but it does reduce it.

Not really. It only works if you have an endless supply of clean high quality masks. Who’s paying for that?

And besides I have a new born and a 3 year old. Facial expressions and talking are much more important to the peaceful continuation of the human race.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:25

slashlover · 24/09/2025 10:21

Have you seen the videos from when the law about seatbelts came in? People saying it was too inconvenient and they shouldn't be forced to wear one. If a mask is literally smothering your face then you're wearing it incorrectly.

when seatbelts were first brought in they were clunky unadjustable things which were easy to dislike. I remember the day the law changed. We all hated them. Now they are hardly noticeable to wear as technological advancements have made it possible to adjust them sufficiently to fit the body.

If you are happy for me to wear my mask across my body in the same style to a seatbelt I have no problem with it at all.

ozarina · 24/09/2025 10:24

If she didn't have famous parents they would be seeking some mental health support for her.

Needmorelego · 24/09/2025 10:23

Yeah years ago and they went to prison for that.
I assume any other parents realise now it was a dumb thing to do.

aold · 24/09/2025 10:22

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:19

Comparing a mask to a seatbelt in terms of safety is not an equivalence when one is hardly an inconvenience and the other is literally smothering your face with material for extended time.

exactly. And I can remember the gleeful posts on my local community facebook page during the pandemic when posters would call out people for going to Asda without a face mask on. When they explained that it was because they had severe anxiety or asthma, they were shot down. It hasn’t aged well.

OP posts:
EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:21

bridgetreilly · 24/09/2025 10:20

Literally just a thread hating on someone because of her parents? Wow.

Literally a thread discussing the thought of mandated mask use. Wow.

slashlover · 24/09/2025 10:21

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:19

Comparing a mask to a seatbelt in terms of safety is not an equivalence when one is hardly an inconvenience and the other is literally smothering your face with material for extended time.

Have you seen the videos from when the law about seatbelts came in? People saying it was too inconvenient and they shouldn't be forced to wear one. If a mask is literally smothering your face then you're wearing it incorrectly.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:20

Needmorelego · 24/09/2025 10:18

It's intelligence that gets you in - not money.
You could be from the richest family in the world but if you don't have the intelligence you don't get in.

www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/feb/05/desperate-housewives-felicity-huffman-comeback-jail-hir

aold · 24/09/2025 10:20

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:16

Well she potentially wants to take away the rights of others through compulsory mask wearing. So I’m not sure we can say she’s not hurting anyone. If someone mandated compulsory mask wearing indoors then my life would immediately be impacted negatively.

mine too. I know she’s mentioned a post viral illness which she says she’s now fully recovered from, but that’s true of many of us. I have a chronic long term condition which I take medication for, for life and Covid did knock me out. I caught it the first time in 2021, when wearing a mask all the time outside and in public spaces. Unlike my neighbour, who is still isolating from Covid and has now developed debilitating agoraphobia as a result of it, I’m determined to live my life.

OP posts:
bridgetreilly · 24/09/2025 10:20

Literally just a thread hating on someone because of her parents? Wow.