Trumps’ war on Tylenol isn’t about autism—it’s about women

Last week, Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned pregnant women to avoid Tylenol, claiming a link between acetaminophen and autism. Panic spread. Headlines screamed. Social media exploded. But here’s the truth: this isn’t about science. It isn’t about autism. It’s about women—and it’s about control.

To be clear, the science does not support this claim. Large studies, including one tracking 2.48 million births in Sweden, show no causal link between Tylenol and autism. Experts in genetics and developmental psychology agree that autism is primarily genetic, not caused by over-the-counter painkillers. Global health authorities—including the World Health Organization—have publicly rejected these claims and reaffirmed that acetaminophen is safe during pregnancy when used as recommended.

So why the alarm? Because this isn’t about protecting children—it’s about policing women’s bodies. Telling pregnant women not to take a common, safe medication is a direct interference in everyday healthcare decisions. It frames normal choices like relieving pain and reducing fever as potentially dangerous, making women second-guess their own judgement.

This fits a long, familiar pattern. Political messaging has historically targeted women’s health, from abortion restrictions to contraception limitations. Ordinary medical decisions suddenly become moralised, politicised, and weaponised. Tylenol is the latest tool in a playbook designed to undermine women’s autonomy under the guise of “protection.”

And let’s not forget the political angle. The Tylenol scare distracts from pressing issues—pandemic management, economic challenges, systemic healthcare failures—while mobilising a base by tapping into fear and confusion. Science becomes irrelevant; spectacle rules.

Women deserve better than fear-mongering masquerading as health advice. They deserve autonomy, accurate information, and the ability to make decisions about their own bodies without political interference. This is about choice. About respect. About acknowledging that women are capable of making informed decisions without being lectured by politicians peddling misinformation.

This isn’t about autism. It isn’t about protecting children. Trump’s Tylenol panic is about control—about telling women what they can and cannot do with their own bodies. The real lesson here is simple: women should make choices about their own health, guided by science and personal judgement—not fear-mongering politicians.