I think my IQ just dropped about 10 points...

[boodie]

Have you ever had one of those conversations where your only response is a well thought out WHA??

For my sins I was trying to help someone with a sociology assignment, now that I don't mind, I know a fair bit about sociology and the tenets underpinning it, however as conversations are wont to do, it ambled far off course and we ended up talking a little bit about the current case in the UK where a Mother is applying to the courts for compulsory sterilisation of her mentally challenged adult daughter.

There are many facets to this case and it is quite a complex one and much more learned minds than mine or hers are grappling with all the ramifications that would ensue from either a yea or a nay, she is of the opinion that all mentally and physically challenged people should not be allowed to have sexual relations UNLESS they have a permanant means of birth control either inserted or are sterilised.

This is an opinion I have heard before, and in some cases yes I believe there needs to be some form of birth control in place, however you cannot lump everyone in the same boat, at what level would it apply, what would you do with people who are vehemently opposed to taking pills?

You can't make someone have a potentially life threatening operation against their will, whatever their level of mental/physical ability.

But then she went on to make very broad statement that ANYONE who is physically disabled in any way should not be allowed to have children, when I questioned this, stating what about people who lose the use of their legs/arms/eyesight/hearing later on in life, or have an ABI, what possible reason could she have in believing this.

She then stated that they shouldn't have children in case they PASS ON their disability!!!

I stared at the screen in blank amazement for a good minute or so and then asked if she was joking, no, she wasn't joking she believes that ALL disabilities no matter how they are acquired are able to be passed on genetically.

Apparantly once you have an accident that leaves you with an acquired disability, paraplegia/quadriplegia, right down to losing an arm or a leg your genetic code is automatically scrambled so that your acquired disability is now capable of being passed on genetically.

I pointed her at several places and just had to leave, lest what remained of my good manners deserted me and I started to question her own mental capabilities.

I have to work with this woman for the next few months, I'm not sure I can do this.

Comments

[wizarth.livejournal.com]

Many people believe this about DNA/inheritance. It astounds me. I guess in general it's a continuation from "genetic memory", a concept that I also find implausible.

As for the compulsory sterilization topic, it's really a question of selective breeding... um I've gone blank, what the German Nazi's apparently wanted to do... But I also know of people who feel mentally disabled people shouldn't have sexual relationships at all (and shouldn't want them).

E

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

Eugenics, and the nazis borrowed it from the Americans, it was very very big in certain circles of the US in the early 1900's right up to the 1950's.

And yes I have worked with people who have that view that mentally disabled people should be asexual and that it's 'disgusting and unnatural' for them to want sexual intimacy.

Re: E

[horizonchaser.livejournal.com]

It seems Eugenics just never really goes out of style, but she's kicked it up a notch. O.o; Good luck working with this person.

Re: E

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

Yes, and I'm not quite sure that she'd be willing to learn what the difference between a genetically inherited disability and an acquired disability is.

[fishp-angel.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Just ugh.

Try and not have such conversations with her when you are working with her, it's only going to cause frustration on your end.

Bloody hell, there are some nutters in this world!

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

I honestly didn't think that people in general had such poor grasp on the concept of DNA and genetics.

[haggis-bagpipes.livejournal.com]

So if a man loses his penis in an accident, will he have sons who don't have penises?

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

Undoubtedly, and then we'll end up with a whole new mutation.

[horizonchaser.livejournal.com]

Bet those sons without penises will have darn nice places to put one, though. e.e;

[haggis-bagpipes.livejournal.com]

It really annoys me that someone took it in this direction :P

The effect is that the man would never produce children at all.

[bonzifan.livejournal.com]

oh, so that's how women came about!

[haggis-bagpipes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, self-impregnating dickless eunuchs. Who will survive the apocalypse. All because someone got his dick sliced off!

Dickless self-impregnating man, DC's latest superhero.

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

Don't give ANYONE any ideas, please.

[ululare.livejournal.com]

O.o

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

That was my reaction as well, I boggled at the screen and had to ask if she was serious, I mean, come on!

[bonzifan.livejournal.com]

Gah, this sort of thing annoys me. Someone will tell me a "fact" which I will explain isn't true - I'm a biologist I should know, and they will tell me they heard it on the radio/on TV and they'd rather believe the TV than me.

Yeah, I concur with [info]fishp_angel 's advice

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, as you know the TV never lies, never distorts the truth, never is biased in any way shape or form.