Statewide Iowa — It’s long been said you should never discuss religion or politics in polite company, but a third topic is being added to the list this holiday season: vaccinations.
Many Iowans are planning their first big family meals in a few years, and University of Iowa professor and psychologist Michele Williams says if you’re concerned some family members may endanger others, you’ll need to speak up.
While some family members may want to be cautious for children or the elderly at Thanksgiving, for others, not getting vaccinated is part of their identity and it’s an expression of personal freedom.
Williams says the routine phone call to a cousin or nephew may get uncomfortable, quickly, if you go about it the wrong way. Then again, in some families, there may not be a “right” way. Still, if you’re hosting an event and want to ensure everyone who attends is vaccinated, try to make it a dialogue and not a debate.
Some Iowans have quit their jobs to avoid mandatory vaccinations at their employer, she says, so it’s clearly an issue about which they feel strongly. If someone is not welcome at the table due to their vaccination status, perhaps they’d still be able to enjoy everyone’s company with a compromise.
Williams is a UI professor of management & entrepreneurship in the Tippie College and she’s a psychologist who specializes in management communications and relationships.
