More on The “Ashley Treatment”
January 6th, 2007Blue has posted some good links to editorials about the Ashley Treatment. This article really struck me.
If you believe in basic human rights, you have to extend them to all humans. You can’t say that you believe in human rights, but not for people who can’t articulate their value. You can’t say that you believe in human rights but not for people who would be better off dead. If you’re able to tell yourself that in this one case, it was okay for parents to mutilate their daughter with absolutely no cause, and no medical argument, then you need to rethink your definition of basic human rights.
That’s why it’s important to talk about this. That’s why it’s important to condemn it.
People with disabilities are first and foremost people with rights. This includes a basic right to bodily integrity. It’s very sad to me that feminists can forget that so easily. You cannot work for equality if you do not work to uphold the rights of all people. (It seems self-evident. Like so many things, apparently, it is not.)
I think this post by Thirza is worth reading. She looks at the Ashley Treatment through the lens of her personal experience with a disabled sister.
Sour Duck has linked to some other posts about the subject. And here’s more at The Procrastinator’s Handbook.
I’m still disappointed that there’s not more outrage in the major feminist blogs. (Amanda at Pandagon’s response can only be described as completely bizarre. Piny hasn’t made a post yet but he’s been active on other threads so I expect to see something at Feministe soon. Feministing? Who the hell knows?) But if this whole matter has made one thing clear it’s that I need to have more disability rights bloggers besides the Gimp Parade in my regular reading list.
January 6th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
The only thing I took from a lot of the discussion I’ve been reading is that people seem to think that since she doesn’t know the difference, it doesn’t fucking matter. This makes me angry.
That first article is excellent and I shall scurry off to the second now.
I’m getting slightly sick of the lj feminist coms.
People can be shits.
January 6th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
“The only thing I took from a lot of the discussion I’ve been reading is that people seem to think that since she doesn’t know the difference, it doesn’t fucking matter. This makes me angry.”
Why does that make you angry? What is wrong with that reasoning?
If someone stole my television in the middle of the night but put it back before I woke up, I wouldn’t mind. No harm, no foul.
January 7th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Uh…wow. Cyberpunk Hero? The difference would be that she’s a person, not an object, and that no one’s ever going to be able to give her her uterus back and she’ll never be able to keep growing to her adult height like nothing had ever happened.
January 8th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
I’m not sure I believe in a “basic right to bodily integrity,” disabled or temporarily ablebodied or anyone else. I do believe in a right to self-control, but that’s not the same thing.
Ashley’s case is difficult, because it’s impossible to know for certain which of the possible courses would lead to the greatest level of long-term comfort and happiness for Ashley. However, I do think that her comfort and happiness ought to outweigh concerns with bodily integrity.
January 21st, 2007 at 10:24 am
Cyberpunk Hero:
Earlbecke pretty much said it. She’s a human being. If someone stole your arm in the middle of the night, I have a feeling you wouldn’t be quite so benevolent. Especially seeing as it can’t be put back in any case.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I think it was a smart decision by the parents. I have seen people with the same cognitive ablity as Ashley and I have also taken care of adults would are on the same cognitive level as Ashley and let me tell you it is nearly impossible(at least for a single person). I have also had menstrual cramps and they horrible. If someone doesn’t have to go through these things, why make them? Really, do you think Ashley would rather grow up to be a full sized adult or have better more comfortable care from her family. For me this would have been an easy decision. I mean this for these circumstances only. I am not saying to sterilize everyone with a cognitive disability, I am refering to “pillow angles.”
April 17th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
BBalladvocate, it’s not about what you or I think would be better for Ashley. The point is that it ought to be Ashley’s decision whether she wants to have these procedures and medications or not. Just because we lack the means to ask her doesn’t make it our choice.