Disability Arts Online

Ex-Danner

I've suddenly noticed my original comments have been edited, and so have the comments from Danner. I'd rather my comments were removed completely than edited, as it removes the context of the discussion danner and I were having. Also, it doesn't say on the site that DAO has the right to remove text within comments (in other words, edit comments).

DANNER

Do you realise EVERY pregnant woman in this country is tested now for impaired babies as standard, and offered terminations as standard if impairment is found in the baby... that is not the same as people screening for specific conditions in families which have those (who make up a miniscule proportion of those tested).

Do you realise that all disabled babies may be terminated up until birth? Including for impairments which are repairable such as cleft palate.

Do you realise that if blood tests mean the woman is at a higher likelihood of a disabled baby, they follow up as standard with an amniocentisis test which kills more non disabled babies than it identifies disabled ones (by around two-fold).

Don't you mind that instead of welcoming and making space for disabled babies, we choose to kill? It is not the same as choosing a non impaired baby. There is no non-impaired baby there, only a disabled one. It's choosing not to have a baby, after the date anyone else may do it, for eugenic reasons.

It's a eugenic screening and termination programme. Nearly all the disabled foetuses found are killed. Most of them at dates which are illegal in any other circumstance. Some of them at gestations at which they would survive unaided if born.

It is a disgrace that women are expected to commit these eugenic killings because they are told it's the socially responsible thing to do.

They should have a right to choose and right now their choice is fear of hardship or eugenics.

Women deserve a real choice, including the choice to have all their children welcomed into this society.

DANNER

‘What is the difference between that and taking folic acid or giving your babies immunisation from terrible diseases like meningitis?’ The answer is that genetic testing leads to murder, which is massively different.

Just don't ask for help via policies which will lead to co-operative euthanasia for less privileged people with less fight.

Am I the only one who's noticed that every person seen in the press fighting for this is white and middle class? Co-incidence?

Ex-DAN member

I would like to choose when I die if my impairment becomes too unbearable for me to continue, and without fear of my husband being prosecuted if he helped me.

I also believe that people should be able to choose genetic testing if they don't want to pass on their genetic disorders to their children. What is the difference between that and taking folic acid or giving your babies immunisation from terrible diseases like meningitis?

So despite my respect for Liz as a filmmaker and my sympathy for anti-genetics views, I won't be attending. Because if I did and shared my views, I can guarantee I would be accused of being a traitor, self-hating crip etc.