Screened Genes for All ?

The breakthrough of ID'ing hereditary illnesses gathers apace. The deaf tried to oppose it via Clause 14 of the UK embryology Bill via IVF. One doubts they have the success, despite claiming they had deafness 'downgraded' from a 'serious' disability, to a 'norm', It didn't however oppose OTHER disabilities getting the red flag waved at them. Without unity of deaf/disabled people, many Identified hereditary illnesses are due for the chop or at least, abortion of foetus' in favour of 'healthy' and non-deaf/disabled children being born.

IVF has been effectively by-passed as a deaf issue, as concerned and prospective parents ask their GP's for genetic screening instead. You don't need to jump that hurdle of trying IVF for a child, you can even without difficulty having a baby, use screen washing to be selective.

The duplicity of the deaf campaign raised serious issues to my mind, they prioritized their own, and left everyone else's, so, every disabled man and woman for themselves it seems. The BBC news yesterday did an item where a woman who sadly lost her child from an hereditary issue very early on after being born, had her bloods screened and then 'washed', which in effect eradicated the possibility of an child being born with it, and proudly showed us all on the TV a happy, healthy and non-disabled child.

She said "I appreciate there are those who oppose this, but they have to understand where we come from too, we lost our child, we did not want to lose another...You have to be there to understand it.. it's not as if we opted for a designer child.."
While a number of disabilities are not life-threatening, and the political view is sensitive to that, It doesn't take much of a quantum leap, to understand many women and couples will now take the next step and have their bloods screened prior to getting married and having a child.

Disability recognition of genes in the tests, which is getting more effective month on month, will then offer them information they really will not take much thinking about, deaf child ? hearing-child ? for most it will be a simple choice, why do I suspect this will NOT be in the deaf community's favour one bit ? After all IVF DOES offer that choice if you want it. All the UK deaf managed to do, was ask to opt out of the screening process, then they were given a right to take 'pot luck..

They don't however create the basis of deaf cultural membership, hearing do. 9 out of 10 have hearing parents, what will the hearing now do with this choice..... ? We, will never be told.