“Make America Healthy Again”? Let’s Call It What It Is.

Let’s talk about this whole Make America Healthy Again thing.

On the surface, it sounds great. Who wouldn’t want a healthier country? Who wouldn’t want to protect our kids, cut harmful ingredients, and promote wellness?

But if you look even a little bit deeper, you’ll see the truth: this movement isn’t about health. It’s about control. It’s about performance politics. And it’s built on the backs of the very people it claims to protect.

Let’s break it down.

Red Dye 40 Isn’t the Villain—Polluted Water Is.

The Trump campaign recently banned Red Dye 40, citing concerns about children’s health. And sure, food dyes can be worth examining.

But let’s be clear: that same administration rolled back EPA protections that kept lead, mercury, PFAS, and other toxins out of our water, air, and soil. You don’t get to pretend to care about kids’ health while turning a blind eye to the chemicals in their tap water.

You Can’t Push “Natural Immunity” and Defund Public Health.

Trump-era rhetoric consistently undermined trust in vaccines and scientific guidance. The result? A rise in preventable diseases like measles—yes, in 2024.

Public health funding was slashed. Life-saving guidance was politicized. And once again, disabled, immunocompromised, and marginalized communities paid the price.

“My Body, My Choice” Is Not a One-Way Street.

Republican lawmakers have cried out for personal freedom when it comes to masking and vaccines. But those same lawmakers passed legislation stripping away reproductive rights and banning gender-affirming care.

You can’t claim bodily autonomy only when it fits your agenda. It’s either for everyone—or it’s just oppression in disguise.

“Personal Responsibility” Doesn’t Work Without a Safety Net.

The Trump administration framed health as a matter of choice: eat right, work hard, stay fit.

But here’s what they didn’t mention: Medicaid cuts. No paid family leave. Attacks on disability services.

How exactly are families supposed to prioritize their health when the systems built to support them are being dismantled?

Stop Pretending You’re Protecting Kids.

We hear a lot about protecting children—from books, from teachers, from inclusive curriculums. But the same lawmakers who scream about protection are the ones cutting special education, silencing neurodivergent voices, and targeting trans kids with harmful laws.

This isn’t about protection. It’s about control.

So, Who Gets to Be “Healthy”?

Because let’s be honest—when the Trump campaign talks about a “healthier America,” they’re not talking about you if you’re:

• Disabled

• Neurodivergent

• Chronically ill

• Poor

• Queer

• Black, brown, or Indigenous

They’re not building a system where everyone can thrive. They’re building one where only the privileged survive.

True Health Looks Different.

It looks like clean water and air.It looks like accessible healthcare—mental, physical, and reproductive.It looks like paid leave, accommodations, autonomy, and care that’s built for everyone.

Fruit snacks aren’t the problem.People are dying not because of Red Dye 40—but because of greed, injustice, and a refusal to care for those who don’t fit into a narrow idea of “health.”

We’re not falling for it.

If you’re with me, you’re probably already doing the hard work of fighting for a healthier, more inclusive world—one that doesn’t leave anyone behind.

And to that, I say: keep going.

Loudly. Boldly. Together.