Writer Theo Malekin writes about his daughter, who has down syndrome:
“Around 80 percent of women who get a positive test for Down syndrome still choose to have an abortion. Yet I cannot think of any parents of a child with Down syndrome who would give them up for anything….
Hazel has had an array of specialists who have helped her learn to walk and talk and she goes to a regular elementary school with other ‘normal’ kids.
She still has challenges. We haven’t got her potty-trained yet. On the other hand, she knows her alphabet and she can count better than some of her classmates. ….
I do not love my daughter any less because she has Down syndrome. Her diagnosis says very little about who she is. She is not a disease or a syndrome but an individual: affectionate, naughty, infuriating at times, stubborn, self-willed and utterly charming.
Certainly she has medical problems and developmental challenges not faced by other children. I’m not saying those don’t exist. But they’re one part of a much bigger picture.…
It is also an argument for changing attitudes that appear self-evident to too much of the general population. You cannot know if someone else’s life is worth living without asking them and without even knowing them.
A disability does not necessarily stop you living a full, satisfying life. Oddly enough, I’m not sure that disabilities have anything to do with living full satisfying lives.
When it comes to Hazel, her life is not a burden to her family but an unending source of delight. For my part, I cannot imagine life without her. But most importantly, her life is valuable to herself, and definitely worth living.”
Sadly Theo Malekin supports legalized abortion despite his belief that his daughter’s life is valuable
Theo Malekin “A Generational Shift in Understanding Life With Down Syndrome” The Atlantic MAR 27, 2013
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