here
It starts with the sentence "Children should not be brought into this world to suffer". It then goes onto explain that the woman tested positive for DS and so had a termination at 19 weeks. And finishes with that chestnut about pressure on the other children.
Now I believe in abortion and believe that every woman has the right to an abortion for whatever reason. None of my business. But I do get cross with the oft spouted idea that people with learning disabilities 'suffer'. And I do feel that I am entitled to challenge that (without challenging the person's choice- not interested in their choice, but if they start talking about 'suffering' in public with no experience well.... ). I am now fortunate enough to know a lot of people with learning disabilities and I haven't yet met one who is 'suffering'. This is something I think that society needs to understand and people with LD's will never be treated equally whilst they are seen as suffering or people to be pitied who live half baked lives. My friend has a grown up son with DS and she recently attended his friend's engagement party. I asked what it was like when she got back and she said 'well you know, full of people with LD's so brilliant and a lot of fun' which just about sums up my experience of LD's.
And the stuff about siblings makes me cross too. DS2 at one stage got quite excited at the thought he could live with ds1 when older so he wouldn't have to marry a 'yucky girl', but now knows (aged 7) that is not expected of him. When asked what his future 'job ' is he says 'to sort out social services' and he also understands he can do that from Australia if need be. DS3 will come to understand the same. And meanwhile, yes there are things they can't access so easily because of ds1 but they also get a whole bunch of positives from growing up with a disabled sibling. Overall I think the effect of having LD's around them in their childhood will be good. Certainly they're happy.
There was a small panel on the page about a woman who kept her baby with DS, but predictably it wasn't given the coverage of the termination suffering children suffering siblings story.
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Article about Down Syndrome and termination in the Sunday Times today.
92 replies
saintlydamemrsturnip · 19/07/2009 20:03
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19/07/2009 22:22
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20/07/2009 05:42
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