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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
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.

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.

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.'

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.

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.

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?’

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.

CallMeEvelyn · 24/09/2025 10:39

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

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.

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?

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:42

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.

My understanding of mask wearing in China is it is more of an etiquette thing. If you are poorly you wear a mask in enclosed spaces - not always.

Also we get no factual data from the communist regime of China so I don’t believe you could ascertain if there has been any negative impact from Covid rules and procedures to discount the quote from a PP about six year olds having been disadvantaged in the U.K.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:42

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:40

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.

How does she want to do that? How are we accessing this pure air?

CallMeEvelyn · 24/09/2025 10:43

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:42

How does she want to do that? How are we accessing this pure air?

Utopia, supported and enabled by way too much money from her parents.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:45

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?

The problem is the inability to debate topics without causing distress and the move towards a dictatorial overlord - if not the government of the day then the ‘special people who have all the correct thoughts and opinions’. Those special people also have the right to special air and if that takes away our freedoms in the process then who cares.

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:46

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:42

How does she want to do that? How are we accessing this pure air?

She wants hepa air filters in public buildings. Hepa filters filter the air and significantly reduce the amount of bacteria, mould and viral particles that we breath in.
https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/covid19-national-project/2023/01/09/how-we-know-that-hepa-filter-based-air-cleaners-are-likely-to-be-beneficial-for-reducing-transmission-of-respiratory-infections/

Coffeeishot · 24/09/2025 10:46

MyAcornWood · 24/09/2025 09:49

She’s not hurting anyone, and I can’t see how this stops her enjoying her life, but the preachy nature of it all is a bit annoying. On an unrelated note, doesn’t she look like her mum?!

Her mums absolute double, but yes she has a thing she believes in to keep her/us all healthy she isn't harming anyone.

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:50

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:45

The problem is the inability to debate topics without causing distress and the move towards a dictatorial overlord - if not the government of the day then the ‘special people who have all the correct thoughts and opinions’. Those special people also have the right to special air and if that takes away our freedoms in the process then who cares.

Can you explain how filtering the air in public buildings to reduce the amount of viral particles, mould and bacteria you breathe in in public is taking away your freedoms?

applegingermint · 24/09/2025 10:51

It’s a bit of a weird hill to die on.

There’s also increasing evidence that face masks - particularly the stronger filtering kind - are a rather good way to breathe microplastics directly into your lungs.

DontCallMeLenYouLittleBollix · 24/09/2025 10:52

It's her business what she does and she has every right to wear a mask if she wants.

In terms of her advocacy, this is a first year undergraduate whose platform appears to be due to her Hollywood parentage. By all means speak, but nobody is obliged to listen. Anyone advocating for mask mandates can't be taken seriously unless they talk about where they think the responsibility for enforcement should fall, who's paying for that and how they intend to tackle the issues of exclusion this would cause. She's on stronger ground with the desire for better air quality.

lljkk · 24/09/2025 10:53

It's a weird "hill to die on". I gather VA also cares a lot about climate change. And being a youthful idealist, maybe a dozen other things.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:54

CallMeEvelyn · 24/09/2025 10:43

Utopia, supported and enabled by way too much money from her parents.

Well we do talk about the privileged being in their own bubble. I didn’t think this would one day mean literally. Perhaps an oxygen tank on the back would sort it.

I suffered from post viral syndrome for a long long time having been very ill as a teen. It still shows up in my blood sometimes so I have a lot of empathy for those suffering with long Covid. I still think they need to be mindful that the majority of people deal with viruses and shake them off. We have to try and live as a community with the majority in mind. During Covid it was found that some older people still had antibodies from the Spanish Flu that gave them protection. As generations come up Covid will be easier to deal with immunity wise so I’m not concerned about a general weakening of people through that particular virus.

I’m much more concerned at whatever the next pandemic will be and luckily for Violet, when it hits, her parents will have enough money to access the panacea of the moment and she can wring her hands for all the low income workers on the frontline of services who no doubt will be the first wave to go under.

SatsumaDog · 24/09/2025 10:54

Of course she can wear what she likes, but I certainly won’t be wearing a mask to go about my daily business again. If I needed to wear one to see a vulnerable patient for example I would, but not to go to the supermarket or out for a walk.

BunnyLake · 24/09/2025 10:54

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 24/09/2025 09:48

Are you suggesting that a young woman should not be allowed to choose what she wears?

Yes but isn’t she saying everyone should be wearing them not just her?

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:55

Turningworld · 24/09/2025 10:50

Can you explain how filtering the air in public buildings to reduce the amount of viral particles, mould and bacteria you breathe in in public is taking away your freedoms?

Explain how it’s going to be done to Violet’s satisfaction? I’m guessing something to do with masks but I could be wrong.

RosaMundi27 · 24/09/2025 10:55

Mad people shouldn't force other people to live in their fantasy world, doesn't matter whose kid they are.

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