Privilege and Parents' Choice to Refuse Pediatric Vaccines.

This article examines the concept of privilege in the context of pediatric vaccine refusal, focusing on how some relatively privileged parents in Western countries delay or refuse early childhood vaccinations. It critiques existing empirical and feminist philosophical accounts of privilege for being vague, particularly regarding what privilege entails beyond access to tangible resources. The author proposes a refined definition of privilege as systematically conferred, generally unearned assets that include both tangible resources and unique options to act or be a certain way, shaped by overarching systems of power such as patriarchy, white supremacy, and classism. Applying this framework to vaccine refusal, the article identifies specific options privileged parents have—such as feeling exempt from sanctions, a sense of entitlement to refuse vaccines, and the ability to free ride on herd immunity—that influence their vaccine decisions. This nuanced account aims to enhance understanding of how privilege operates in vaccine hesitancy and may inform policy approaches addressing vaccine refusal.