Many studies and research on physical disabilities is usually gender neutral and does not go in depth on the different issues that women and men face in regards to physical disabilities. One of the major issues that women with disabilities face is that of pregnancy and childbirth. Already at a disadvantage because they are disabled, society views these women as unfit to be mothers and or should not get pregnant due to the risk of having a baby with disabilities.
These women are given advice by their own family, friends, and doctors to avoid getting pregnant or should terminate the pregnancy if they do end up pregnant. This is a major issue that concerns feminist groups today. Due to the stereotypes already faced with having a physical disabilities. These women are seen as unable to raise children, and care for children because of their disabilities. There are many cultural pressures that arise when a women with physical disabilities decides that she wants to become a mother. These issues are fear that the women may pass on the disability to her child. Fear that she may not be able to nurture, care or discipline her child because she is disabled, and that the mother’s disabilities will be hard on her child. There are also legal restrictions which cause issues for women with disabilities to have a choice in whether they can give birth or not. In many countries including the USA women with disabilities are given involuntary sterilization so they cannot give birth, which gives them no chance to make a choice of their own.
The desire to give birth is a universal thing for women with or without disabilities. And these women should be able to have a choice regardless of the circumstances. Because of these different assumptions the truth is hardly heard. Physical disabilities are usually not inherited and even when there is a chance that the women can pass on the disability it is her choice anyway, not society, her family or the doctors. These women need support on the decision they choose to make and doctors need to do more research that can help these women so that if they do choose to make the choice they get the support and help needed to carry these pregnancies. I thought this was a very interesting topic to address because this issue is hardly heard. I hope bringing more awareness to this issue can change the policies, and stereotypes that these women face. And hope that more support can be offered to them.
~ Marcia M ~
References
I recently had talked to a friend about the issue of a physically disabled person having a child. It was amazing to me that she and many of her friends agreed that they were not fit to raise a child. It just made me think of the hundreds of stereotypes people hold about hundreds of topics: indigenous groups, mentally ill people, physically disabled people, lesbians, gays...the list goes on. It's frustrating to hear that mentally ill people are "crazy" or unable to hold a job, and in this case it is frustrating to hear that physically disabled women are not fit to have a child. The only thing we can do is educate society on the false held stereotypes on these certain topics so that those thoughts are not held in the future.
ReplyDelete-Morgan
Involuntary sterilization? I can't believe it. A person's body is supposed to be the one thing that no one else has a say in. Women can't be deprived of bearing a child, it's what some women look forward to in their lives. I thought that so many people were against abortion but your saying that even family members incourage it. I can understand how people might be scared that the child may suffer from a physical disablity but to say that the woman would be unfit to mother the child is ridiculous. A women will be a 'mum', 'mommy', or 'mama' to their child no matter what sort of disability they face.
ReplyDelete-Nicole (Nikki) S.
Wow. I cannot believe that the United States would advocate involuntary sterilization. The whole concept of it just blows me away. Women should DEFINITELY be able to make their own choices about what they do with their bodies.
ReplyDelete@Nicole, you are absolutely right, a woman, if she so chooses, will be able to be a mother (in every sense of the word) if she desires. Women all over, including those who have a physical disability should be given the option to pursue motherhood, it's absolutely unfair to take away what could potentially be someone's dream.
Alyssa
I really enjoyed this post, and especially the video. I wish I could have English subtitles for some of the quotes, but I was still able to get the point. :) Involuntary sterilization is preposterous! They (whoever "they" are) have done this to people with mental illnesses in the past as well. Not sure if there are other places that do it still. Thanks for sharing this. This is definitely a disability/woman's issue! :D
ReplyDeleteBambi
I too was shocked to hear about the involuntary sterilization that is going on in the USA. Isn't that something of humanity's past? I don't think its right for someone else to be making that type of decision for a woman with disabilities. It's a violation of someone's human rights and shouldn't be happening.
ReplyDelete-Yodit
I think that the issue comes down to personal choice. I know as a mother that I would not trade motherhood for the world. I know a person that is physically disabled and has made the choice not to have a child for two reasons; one that would cause her condition to greatly turn for the worst that she would not be able to care for the child at all and this is the best outcome the worst is that she would die. Secondly, she was told that there was a 90% chance if she had a boy that he would have the same condition that she has, and if she had a girl it would be a 50/50 chance that the child would have the condition and/or be a carrier.
ReplyDeleteLisa
Good Post Marcia! This was a very interesting topic. I think it is the women's choice as to whether to become preganant and have a child. I don't think it is right for someone else to be making that decision such as the USA giving involuntary sterilization to the women. That is wrong and it is violation of rights! Women should consider the possible affects that could happen to the child as a result of having the baby but in the end it is their decision and others need to support her.
ReplyDeleteLori
Good post - I was not aware of the involuntary sterilization occuring in many countries, and especially being so close to home - in the USA - very disturbing, saddening, and unjust.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing this up, as I was not aware of it.
Dara
Excellent post Marcia! Sterilization is another area that I had not really considered. What gives us the right to decide who is desirable enough to reproduce? I recall a very upsetting case of Leilani Muir and how she was sterilized unknowingly. The fact that such a procedure was performed without her consent, after they’d already lied to her about the surgery she was to be receiving, is sickening. It is also highly unlikely that any disabled individual would welcome such a painful and invasive procedure. Forced sterilization is inhumane, as the recipient must then live the rest of their lives with the consequences of the actions taken against them. The freedom over one's body must always be protected and the rights of disabled people deserve the same considerations as those of all other people and should no longer be ignored.
ReplyDeleteShauna Richardson
This was a very interesting blog! People tend to always focus on the negative aspects of having parents who are not your typical heterosexual healthy couple. However, in my opinion, I think having a parent with a disability can be beneficial for a child, largely because the child will grow up seeing people’s abilities rather than their disabilities. Society has no right to pass judgment and make assumptions about people as there are more to people than their disabilities.
ReplyDeleteKim