Kat Von D: ‘LA Ink’ Alum Breaks Silence on Anti-Vaccination Controversy

Former LA Ink star Kat Von D denied she is against vaccinations after fans called for a boycott over a recent Instagram post about how she plans to raise her first child with husband Leafer Seyer.

Von D, whose full name is Katherine von Drachenberg, shared her plans to take a “personal approach” to her pregnancy in a now-deleted Instagram post from June 2018. In the long caption, Von D said the couple plans on raising a “vegan child, without vaccinations.”

“If you don’t know what it’s like have people around you think you are ridiculous, try being openly vegan,” the post read in part. “And, if you don’t know what it’s like to have the entire world openly criticize, judge, throw uninformed opinions, and curse you – try being an openly pregnant vegan on Instagram, having a natural, drug-free home birth in water with a midwife and doula, who has the intention of raising a vegan child, without vaccinations.

On Thursday, Von D finally addressed the controversy in an 11-minute video where she also addressed long-standing rumors she is a “Nazi” and anti-Semitic.

“I am NOT a nazi. I am NOT anti-vaxx,” Von D said at the beginning of the video. “Back when I was pregnant, somebody asked me on Instagram if we were vaccinating our baby and, after doing a bunch of research and doing the ingredients, naturally I had some hesitancy.”

After the backlash the post caused, Von D said she did more research and has decided against sharing her baby’s health records with fans.

“Since then we have decided to consult with, as parents, with our pediatrician, but unlike before, I have learned my lesson and I am choosing not to make our decision or any of our baby’s health records public,” the former Miami Ink cast member said.

Von D also explained that the rumors she is anti-Semitic began after an unnamed Miami Ink cast member retaliated against her. She claimed she was verbally and sexually harassed on the show, which forced her two quit. When she was offered to star in LA Ink, one aggressor was angered and responded by sparking the rumors she was a Nazi.

“Overnight, I was falsely branded as an anti-Semite and I had no idea how to handle it or what to do,” she explained. “I remember the network’s publicist just told me to stay quiet and let it go away.”

However, the rumors persisted and she decided to finally speak out against the lies.

“I have a son now and seeing all of these awful comments and the things people are saying, I can’t just sit around and pretend it’s going to go away,” the 37-year-old said, later adding, “I just want to move on and I want to move forward.”

Von D and Seyer welcomed their first son, Leafar Von D Reyes in December.

Photo credit: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images