Saturday 23 August 2008

Is this *really* OK?

Firstly, my snake, it iz ded. It was my tenth birthday present, and could have lived for another decade had it not got ill. :-( I may write an obituary for it later.

Secondly,

The last time I vented my anger at this kind of thing on the intertubes, I was shouted at by able-bodied, minded, etc. women.

I was attempting to present as a girl then, so I assume it's gonna be even worse now - "You're a guy, how could you possibly judge women's choices?"

Bear with me.

1) I've met far more fathers than mothers who reject anything but the "perfect" child. Are you feminists who accept these abortions certain that the women concerned were making real choices, or were they pressured into them?

2) I'm not speaking as someone with the ability to get pregnant, and the ability to request an abortion if I wish. I'm speaking as someone with a "minor disability" - "high-functioning" autism. Many people and organisations would like me to have been aborted (read up on the aims of that prominent "charity" if you don't believe me).

3) I understand that foetuses that, were they to be born, would need extensive medical treatment just to live (like my cousin, who has Costello's Syndrome) are often aborted because the family concerned cannot afford decent healthcare (even in this country, the NHS really cannot provide enough). That is no fault of the family, a damning judgement on healthcare providers, and NOT a suggestion from some divinity that those foetuses should not live. It all comes down to money, and the seemingly obvious fact that some people don't have enough to support their families. NOT "well, disabled, never mind".

4) I am very, very glad that several hundred parents (unless the statistics for the South-West are anomalous, which seems unlikely) have aborted their club-footed, webbed-toed foetuses. What kind of miserable life would those children have had? What kind of miserable life do the other children of those people have? What if their GCSE grades were under par? What if they turned out to be, O I don't know, just pulling examples out of the air, autistic, or trans, or gay? What if they wanted to go down the wrong career path, or married the wrong person?

In an era with painkillers and other medical treatment, it's not having, or lacking, a disability that makes a child's life worth living, or not. It's the presence or absence of a loving, accepting family.

Also, I think we don't need to pass ammunition to right-wing god-botherers. We don't need to leave condemnation of eugenics to some loon in a cassock (as pictured in the Telegraph article).

As feminists, as half-decent human beings, we need to stop treating disabled people as less than human.

5 comments:

Daphne said...

Having a foetus aborted because of a "minor" disability - club foot or cleft palate - is wrong. But what's a "major" disability? Down's Syndrome, for example? Pretty major - - but no way would I have had an abortion for that. Actually, having lost my first baby, born prematurely, I don't think I would ever have had an abortion at all.

colin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
colin said...

Nothing is perfect.

Nobody knows what the future will bring. Abortion is not the answer. No way no how would we ever consider an abortion.

Anyway Costello Syndrome is cool. And I am proud to have such an amazing person with this rare disability.

(Hope this link works)

http://tinyurl.com/3ur9fq

This is a documentary broadcast on ITV about Costello Syndrome a few weeks ago.

Enjoy

See I said it was cool.

Take care

Kim said...

When a baby is first born if you stand them up they start kicking at the ground, its a natural reaction and just a baby reacting to its environment and trying to walk. they have proven that babys at 11 week old (still in the womb) do this, yet they have 'no idea about there environment'. thats another reason for the abortion limit being lowered.
currently its at 5 months beacause it is believed that babys under this do not understand/comprehend there environment. at 5 months and after in order to abort they they have to inject straight into the babys heart and stop it, they feel this and react.

and why the fuck would any decent human being in a 'Civilased' society abourt a baby for webbed feet or extra fingers, thats just sick

maybe i just have the same view as Daphne ive had a misscarrage and therefore know what its like to lose a baby, granted mine was no where near as devistating it still made my mind up that there was no way i would EVER get an abortion

and if your going to kill your own child beacause of webbed feet, you should be sterilised for being an evil bitch

sorry i have strong veiws on this issue

XxX

stevethehydra said...

You may like this, if you haven't already read it: http://thauts.livejournal.com/4180.html#cutid1