Actress Jessica Biel has been labeled an "anti-vaxxer" on social media for taking Instagram photos with an environmental activist and a vaccination opponent Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Kennedy recently shared a photo on Instagram of himself with Biel at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The democrat wrote:
"Please say thank you to the courageous Jessica Biel for a busy and productive day at the California State House."
The California state bill, SB 276 and co-sponsored by the California Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, would restrict medical exemptions from vaccines without approval from the state public health officer.
But anti-vax advocates, such as Kennedy, oppose the bill, arguing that it'd reduce medical exceptions up to about 40 percent.
After the backlash, Jessica Biel, the 'Easy Virtue' star and a wife to Justin Timberlake, explained her mission on Instagram.
She wrote:
"This week I went to Sacramento to talk to legislators in California about a proposed bill. I am not against vaccinations — I support children getting vaccinations. And I also support families having the right to make educated medical decisions for their children alongside their physicians."
"My concern with #SB276 is solely regarding medical exemptions. My dearest friends have a child with a medical condition that warrants an exemption from vaccinations, and should this bill pass, it would greatly affect their family's ability to care for their child in this state."
Biel continued:
"That's why I spoke to legislators and argued against this bill. Not because I don't believe in vaccinations, but because I believe in giving doctors and the families they treat the ability to decide what's best for their patients and the ability to provide that treatment."
"I encourage everyone to read more on this issue and to learn about the intricacies of #SB276. Thank you to everyone who met with me this week to engage in this important discussion!"
Despite defending herself from the allegations, her involvement with anti-vaxxers has angered many of her fans on the internet.
One reporter revealed that Biel refused a prescribed vaccination schedule for her 4-year-old son, Silas.
