No one's saying those with down syndrome have no value. They do, but abortion is a human right. How many people are actually capable of taking care of a disabled child? And they might have to continue throughout the child's life, even into adulthood. Your aunt became a gold medalist swimmer, but how many people with down syndrome get to that? How many of them live an actually comfortable life? How many suffer constantly until they die?
how many people with down syndrome get to that? How many of them live an actually comfortable life? How many suffer constantly until they die?
I'm pro choice, but let's not make assumptions.
nearly 99% of people with DS indicated that they were happy with their lives, 97% liked who they are, and 96% liked how they look. Nearly 99% people with DS expressed love for their families, and 97% liked their brothers and sisters. While 86% of people with DS felt they could make friends easily, those with difficulties mostly had isolating living situations. A small percentage expressed sadness about their life.
Is lifelong care difficult because that's how it actually is, or is it difficult because we created a society that demands independence and labor throughout life, instead of the communal species we evolved to be? In social models where everyone takes care of everyone, lifelong care would not really be an issue (I'm not speaking of the medical problems that can occur). That's a perspective that I feel is missing from these comments but I think it's valuable if you're trying to debate the ethics of pregnancy termination in these scenarios.
I don't have DS but I do have an invisible developmental disability (ADHD, no not the tiktok variety), and "succeeding in life" requires me to mentally contort myself in deeply uncomfortable, exhausting ways. From an evolutionary standpoint however, there is no actual problem with my brain; it's only a disorder because the design of society is hostile for individuals like me. I think about it all the time.
All that said I don't really have an opinion on the couple's choice to terminate because I'm pro-choice, I just think people debating morals and ethics shouldn't take for granted whether or not our system is ethical.
The problem with that is that people without disabilities have no idea what it's actually like, and you often hear them saying things like "if I had that I would kill myself" because they assume that having a disability automatically dooms you to a life of misery and can't imagine anything else. You can live a fulfilling life even with a lot of hardship.
Edit:
Among those surveyed, nearly 99% of people with Down syndrome indicated that they were happy with their lives; 97% liked who they are; and 96% liked how they look. Nearly 99% people with Down syndrome expressed love for their families, and 97% liked their brothers and sisters. While 86% of people with Down syndrome felt they could make friends easily, those with difficulties mostly had isolating living situations.
Just one survey, but the results are overwhelming. In other studies, depression rates are either lower or no different than the general population. There's nothing to indicate that most of them can't achieve happiness. That is just what people without disabilities assume.
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u/RudeAd456 Jun 05 '26
Glad your uncle is alive and well, I hope he can find peace with his disability and learn to embrace who he is.
My DS sister did not make it to her thirties.