If you were thinking about getting vaccinated, you might want to check out Nicki Minaj’s ‘science-based’ tweet. In case you missed it, she tweeted that her cousin’s friend in Trinidad had got the vaccine and this, she implies, resulted in him getting swollen testicles. While her intention was to inform her almost 23 million followers of the dangers of the vaccine, she seems to have only caused outrage and very unfortunately exposed her cousin’s friend.
Her comment sparked responses from a variety of scientists, the health minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Boris Johnson and even the White House.White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that they “offered a call with Nicki Minaj and one of our doctors to answer any questions she had about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine”, urging those with large platforms to spread accurate information about it. The Trinidad and Tobago Health Minister quickly debunked the claim of swollen testicles, while claims of infertility were also, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases, found to be false.
The most controversial (and rather amusing in my opinion) aspect of her series of tweets was the story of the swollen testicles, a symptom never having been recorded before. The difference between correlation and causation seems to have somewhat escaped Minaj. I believe it is reasonable to suggest that just maybe there is another cause of such an unfortunate set of symptoms, and, while I am sure this experience was extremely distressing to the man in question, there is no evidence to suggest this was due to the vaccine.
However, it cannot be ignored that Minaj is only conveying her opinion, while still urging others to do their own research, saying, in a tweet announcing she would not be attending the Met Gala, she will be vaccinated “once I feel I’ve done enough research. I’m working on that now.” She follows this by remarking, “In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face”, clearly encouraging people to still follow the COVID-19 guidelines. While the anti-vaccination movement has gained negative attention recently, it seems unfair to judge someone who may still be hesitant to get the vaccine, especially considering she has baby at home.
This does however bring into question what information people in the public eye should spread, and whether health-related advice should be left up to the government. Much criticism for Minaj revolves around the idea that she has young, impressionable fans who are easily influenced by their idols. It seems reasonable, that in a time where government advice regarding Coronavirus has been ever changing and somewhat inconsistent, people have been forming their own opinions on what is the best course of action. For some, including Minaj, this involves not getting the vaccine for the time being, despite this being against current medical advice. I also believe that Minaj encouraging others to get the vaccine while not having had it herself would be disingenuous, and it could be unjust to criticise her for a personal opinion. The final line of this controversial tweet read, “just pray on it and make sure you’re comfortable with your decision, not bullied”, where Minaj urges people to make their own decision rather than being persuaded by others, a sentiment that cannot be faulted.
While she aimed to expose the supposed negative side effects of the vaccine, it appears that she has only ended up exposing her cousin’s friend and, what was, his – rather shallow – wife to be. In this case Nicki Minaj may not be the best source of medical advice, but her strong sense of self meant she has stuck to her views despite all the backlash she received. Doing your own research is key, but rather than listening to a rapper, maybe consult your doctor.
