November 21, 2017 - 16:35
Though I have unfortunately missed the boat when it comes to posting about something that I want to discuss in class, considering the fact that class ended 20 minutes ago, I do have some general thoughts on deaf culture in light of our discussion on a deaf couple's desire to produce a deaf baby. The defense of this desire that we read for homework interestingly contrasts with a reading we did at the beginning of the semester, in which a disabled author asks us to rethink procreation. In that initial reading, we are shown that, for many, procreation is truly an act of recreation. Parents want children who are like them. This, in many cases, is an enormously impractical desire. After all, we cannot control everything about our child, nor should we want to. Children are individuals who grow up with unique thoughts, feelings, and opinions. When I first read this argument, I was immediately on board. After all, I hardly consider myself to be like my parents, yet I still feel that in many ways I'm an individual worth being proud of. However, this most recent case turns this argument on its head. In the case of this deaf couple, wanting a child who is like them is the primary driving force of wanting to design a deaf child. In the eyes of this couple and the author who defended their choice, having a similar child means that in many ways the parents can more easily understand how best to raise and support their offspring. How can I say that this argument is anything but valid? Balancing these two arguments is difficult; it is human nature to desire similar offspring, and for good reason. So what does that mean for parents who do not have the choice to design their ideal offspring, and, instead, have offspring remarkably different from themselves? This is a question that remains unanswered.