Latest news with #FrankStephens
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Are We Choosing Which Lives Deserve To Be Born? The Quiet Genocide
Advancements in prenatal screening have enabled early detection of genetic conditions like Down syndrome. But in some parts of the world, this progress has quietly led to the near-eradication of individuals with the condition — long before birth. In Iceland, around 85% of expectant mothers undergo first-trimester genetic screening. Nearly 100% of those who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy. Only two or three babies with the condition are born there each year. Denmark reports a termination rate of over 95%. In France, it's around 77%. These numbers have sparked concern among ethicists and disability advocates, who warn of a troubling cultural shift: one that frames the existence of disability as undesirable — and preventable. The American Context In the United States, where prenatal screening is optional and unstandardized, the termination rate after a Down syndrome diagnosis ranges from 60% to 90%, depending on geography, access to care, and socioeconomic status. Despite these figures, advocacy groups like the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) offer a different perspective. According to their 2022 Fact Sheet, life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome has risen from 25 years in 1983 to more than 60 years today. People with the condition increasingly live independent lives, attend school, hold jobs, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. 'Contemporary Eugenics' and the Role of NIPT The AMA Journal of Ethics has raised a pressing question: Are today's prenatal screening practices — particularly non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) — a modern form of eugenics? Unlike the coercive eugenics of the 20th century, contemporary eugenics doesn't require state enforcement. It operates subtly through individual decisions, medical norms, and cultural assumptions about what kinds of lives are 'worth living.' NIPT, which detects chromosomal conditions like Down syndrome as early as 10 weeks, may give the illusion of 'informed choice' while implicitly devaluing disability. 'Even making screening available for Down syndrome… is already, by definition, suggesting that they are not valued reproductive outcomes,' the article states. The concern, as the authors put it, is that society may be shrinking the definition of 'normal' while expanding the definition of 'abnormal' — a shift driven not by malice, but by medicine, convenience, and silence. Frank Stephens: A Voice for the Valued That silence was broken in a viral speech by disability advocate Frank Stephens, who has Down syndrome and testified before Congress: 'I would like to make three points. First, we are a medical gift to society — a blueprint for medical research into cancer, Alzheimer's, and immune system disorders. 'Second, we are an unusually powerful source of happiness. A Harvard-based study found that people with Down syndrome, as well as their parents and siblings, are happier than society at large. Surely happiness is worth something. 'Finally, we are the canary in the eugenics coal mine. We are giving the world a chance to think about the ethics of choosing which humans get a chance at life.' His testimony reframes the conversation: not just about disability, but about who gets counted as human — and what it means when entire categories of people begin to disappear. A Local Voice of Compassion Monty Bennett, a Dallas-based hotelier and philanthropist, is also the Publisher of The Dallas Express. But for Bennett, advocacy on behalf of children with disabilities is not just professional — it's personal. As the father of a special needs child, Bennett has witnessed both the challenges and the beauty of raising a child the world doesn't always understand. His experience has shaped his lifelong commitment to supporting and defending the value of every human life. 'Every life has a divine purpose, regardless of what chromosomes they carry,' Bennett told The Dallas Express. 'As the father of a special needs child, I've seen the challenges — and the incredible joy — that come with raising someone the world often overlooks. It breaks my heart to think of how many lives — full of love, dignity and joy — are quietly erased before they ever get a chance. 'Our son is an incredible blessing,' he added. 'If society measured value not by perfection but by compassion, children like him would be at the top of every list.' Bennett has long supported the development of early childhood programs that serve children with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. His philanthropy reflects a broader conviction — that children born with special needs deserve not just protection, but opportunities to thrive in a world that too often doubts their worth. Reframing the Future Disability rights advocates say the real danger isn't just the test — it's the unspoken cultural script that surrounds it. Campaigns like 'Don't Screen Us Out' warn that prenatal screening, especially when not accompanied by balanced counseling, becomes a method of informal eugenics. Choice, they argue, is only meaningful when society embraces the full spectrum of life — and supports parents, no matter the diagnosis. As prenatal technology advances, we're forced to reckon with what it reveals about us: Are we simply diagnosing? Or are we deciding who gets to be born?
Business Upturn
14-05-2025
- Health
- Business Upturn
United Coalition for Down Syndrome Condemns the Rise in the Use of the R-word
Denver, CO, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CINCINNATI, DENVER, HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., WASHINGTON, D.C., WOBURN, Mass. – Today, the United Coalition for Down Syndrome is speaking out against the alarming resurgence of the 'R-word' in public discourse. At the same time, we are calling on individuals and organizations to take a stand, by pledging not to use this harmful slur. Numerous media outlets have reported a sharp increase in the word's usage across television, radio, podcasts, social media, and the internet. A recent study examining social media in January 2025 revealed a staggering 207.5% rise in posts containing the R-word on X alone – totaling 312,642 instances. Shockingly, there are some who believe its use is a 'great cultural victory.' We firmly reject that notion. The R-word is not a cultural triumph – it is a tool of marginalization. It dehumanizes people with Down syndrome and other disabilities and can contribute to mental distress and long-lasting harm. This type of language is rooted in the same prejudice that, for decades, led to people with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities being placed in cruel and inhumane institutions such as Willowbrook, NY – a practice that continued well into the early 1990s. 'Being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. And yet here we are in 2025 with some of the most influential people in our country, like naughty little boys with their first curse word, reviving the use of the R-word just to gain attention and, meanwhile, opening the floodgates to its popular use. I appreciate the United Coalition for Down Syndrome standing up for what is right, and I hope this goes a long way in educating people that using the R-word is like a little dagger jabbing at our dignity as human beings,' says Frank Stephens, a Special Olympics Global Messenger associated with the 'End the Word' campaign, and Global Down Syndrome Foundation board member. The United Coalition for Down Syndrome embraces and is grateful for the freedom of speech that defines our nation. But using that freedom to perpetuate a derogatory term aimed at one of society's most vulnerable populations is not bold – it's cowardly. Not everyone with an intellectual and developmental disability can push back against such slurs or exact any meaningful social cost on those who use them. We believe that the overwhelming majority of Americans want to do the right thing. The United Coalition for Down Syndrome urges everyone to make the conscious choice to leave this word behind. In exercising our freedom of speech, let's also choose compassion, dignity, and respect. These are lives worth celebrating – and our language should reflect that truth. Related Resources : GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers: Community Page; GiGi's Message on the R Word Global Down Syndrome Foundation: Words Can Hurt National Down Syndrome Congress: NDSC condemns the use of the 'R-word' and calls for respectful language National Down Syndrome Society: Preferred Language Guide; R-Word TikTok Video Special Olympics: Why the R-word is the R-Slur; Increase Usage of the R-word on Social Media About the United Coalition for Down Syndrome The United Coalition for Down Syndrome (UCDS) is a coalition of national Down syndrome organizations seeking to facilitate collective action and speak with a unified voice concerning critical issues that impact the Down syndrome community in the United States. UCDS is comprised of the following national organizations: GiGi's Playhouse Achievement Centers, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, LuMind IDSC, National Down Syndrome Congress, and National Down Syndrome Society. All of our organizations remain steadfastly non-partisan, focusing solely on the well-being of individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
United Coalition for Down Syndrome Condemns the Rise in the Use of the R-word
Freedom of Speech & Protecting Vulnerable Communities Are Not Mutually Exclusive Denver, CO, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CINCINNATI, DENVER, HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., WASHINGTON, D.C., WOBURN, Mass. – Today, the United Coalition for Down Syndrome is speaking out against the alarming resurgence of the 'R-word' in public discourse. At the same time, we are calling on individuals and organizations to take a stand, by pledging not to use this harmful slur. Numerous media outlets have reported a sharp increase in the word's usage across television, radio, podcasts, social media, and the internet. A recent study examining social media in January 2025 revealed a staggering 207.5% rise in posts containing the R-word on X alone – totaling 312,642 instances. Shockingly, there are some who believe its use is a 'great cultural victory.' We firmly reject that notion. The R-word is not a cultural triumph – it is a tool of marginalization. It dehumanizes people with Down syndrome and other disabilities and can contribute to mental distress and long-lasting harm. This type of language is rooted in the same prejudice that, for decades, led to people with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities being placed in cruel and inhumane institutions such as Willowbrook, NY – a practice that continued well into the early 1990s. 'Being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. And yet here we are in 2025 with some of the most influential people in our country, like naughty little boys with their first curse word, reviving the use of the R-word just to gain attention and, meanwhile, opening the floodgates to its popular use. I appreciate the United Coalition for Down Syndrome standing up for what is right, and I hope this goes a long way in educating people that using the R-word is like a little dagger jabbing at our dignity as human beings,' says Frank Stephens, a Special Olympics Global Messenger associated with the 'End the Word' campaign, and Global Down Syndrome Foundation board member. The United Coalition for Down Syndrome embraces and is grateful for the freedom of speech that defines our nation. But using that freedom to perpetuate a derogatory term aimed at one of society's most vulnerable populations is not bold – it's cowardly. Not everyone with an intellectual and developmental disability can push back against such slurs or exact any meaningful social cost on those who use them. We believe that the overwhelming majority of Americans want to do the right thing. The United Coalition for Down Syndrome urges everyone to make the conscious choice to leave this word behind. In exercising our freedom of speech, let's also choose compassion, dignity, and respect. These are lives worth celebrating – and our language should reflect that truth. Related Resources: GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers: Community Page; GiGi's Message on the R Word Global Down Syndrome Foundation: Words Can Hurt National Down Syndrome Congress: NDSC condemns the use of the 'R-word' and calls for respectful language National Down Syndrome Society: Preferred Language Guide; R-Word TikTok Video Special Olympics: Why the R-word is the R-Slur; Increase Usage of the R-word on Social Media About the United Coalition for Down SyndromeThe United Coalition for Down Syndrome (UCDS) is a coalition of national Down syndrome organizations seeking to facilitate collective action and speak with a unified voice concerning critical issues that impact the Down syndrome community in the United States. UCDS is comprised of the following national organizations: GiGi's Playhouse Achievement Centers, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, LuMind IDSC, National Down Syndrome Congress, and National Down Syndrome Society. All of our organizations remain steadfastly non-partisan, focusing solely on the well-being of individuals with Down syndrome and their families. CONTACT: Anca Call Global Down Syndrome Foundation (720) 320-3832 Jim Hudson National Down Syndrome Congress C: (513) 400-6563 jim@ Michelle Sagan National Down Syndrome Society C: (301) 728-0447 msagan@ Kris Meadows GiGi's Playhouse C: (815) 739-7656 Kmeadows@ Kate O'Neill LuMind IDSC C: (508) 344-4932 koneill@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
