under construction. When finished, this lens will contain my review and links about mental health.
We are lucky. We are mentally healthy and normal, we control ourselves perfectly, we can speak, write and read, and we never know about "them".
They are crazy, retarded, dangerous, psychotic, aggressive, antisocial, non-compliant, medicated and forcefully restrained. They are the autistics, the bipolars, the Asperger's, the pillow angels and the breathing vegetables locked up in an institution somewhere.
Yes, we are lucky.
And we should know about them.
What Equal Rights?
Most of us act surprised or skeptical when we hear about ANY mentally disabled rights. Just wait till we hear this:
The equal rights that mentally disabled want include:
- the right to say no,
- the right to refuse medication,
- the right to privacy,
- the right to have sex and children,
- the right to body integrity.
The equal rights that mentally disabled want include:
- the right to say no,
- the right to refuse medication,
- the right to privacy,
- the right to have sex and children,
- the right to body integrity.
A Non-Mental Person's Usual Reaction
We, the non-disabled people (or, as they call us, the temporarily able), seem to be ignorant of these wishes. We tend to feel repulsed, scandalized, even threatened when we accidentally hear of this.
Most of us are taught to think that "mental" people should not appear in our streets, workplaces or in public, and should be confined to institutions and medicated to be compliant and do what their hero doctors, nurses and caregivers say.
Most of us are taught to think that "mental" people should not appear in our streets, workplaces or in public, and should be confined to institutions and medicated to be compliant and do what their hero doctors, nurses and caregivers say.
It's Us Against Them
I call the healthy people "us" and mentally disabled people "them" in this article on purpose. For one, I am a mentally competent, able and healthy individual who stumbled on this topic not more than a month ago before starting this lens.
Second reason, I'm being sort of sarcastic. You're either with us or against us, right? The classic xenophobia.
Third, calling healthy people "us" might make this easier for the healthy to read, and we are the people who need to read this. Because most of "them" know this topic better then "we" ever will.
Fourth, maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I should stress that everyone, that is, WE want these rights. You, me, the autistic kid next door, the crazy old lady across the street. Everyone currently confined in any institution. Just some of "us" enjoy these rights freely and some don't.
I consider myself lucky.
And I explored this topic out of healthy curiosity and present it to you as "something I found on the web and think you should know". Especially if you don't.
Second reason, I'm being sort of sarcastic. You're either with us or against us, right? The classic xenophobia.
Third, calling healthy people "us" might make this easier for the healthy to read, and we are the people who need to read this. Because most of "them" know this topic better then "we" ever will.
Fourth, maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I should stress that everyone, that is, WE want these rights. You, me, the autistic kid next door, the crazy old lady across the street. Everyone currently confined in any institution. Just some of "us" enjoy these rights freely and some don't.
I consider myself lucky.
And I explored this topic out of healthy curiosity and present it to you as "something I found on the web and think you should know". Especially if you don't.
Your Comments Are Welcome
thebatcave101 wrote...
Intersting page. I thought this book about being one of "them" might be interesting to you.
http://www.lulu.com/content/1135715
Posted September 14, 2007
little-honey wrote...
I love your title; very attention=grabbing. I hope you update soon. Very important topic.
Posted July 09, 2007
Links on the Right to Say NO
- What is a safeword?
- A blogger's short explanation, through SM/power analogy, why a disabled person's "no" should be respected.
- I am not responsible for your discomfort
- A blogger's explanation why and how every disabled person should be enabled to say "no": "the first thing and the most important to teach was a no command".
There are more ways of communication than just speach.
The Controversy of Ashley Treatment
Ashley X is a severely disabled little girl - a pillow angel - whose growth was stopped by medical means (estrogen therapy). They also surgically removed her uterus and breast buds.
The reason: since she has the mind of a 3-month old, she should keep a child's body as well. It will keep her more mobile, healthier and happier, also able to stay with her parents forever, go on trips etc.
Our reaction: yay, way to go, parents, every pillow angel should get this treatment, why didn't we think of this before?
Their (the mentally disabled people's) reaction: wtf, people, you injured a little girl, neutered her, insulted her dignity, made an object and an "angel" out of her, violated her body's integrity and took away the few simple pleasures she might have had in life (such as feeling her breasts rub against her clothes), including the pleasures of ever having sex or children. You also didn't give her a chance to say NO to any of this.
My reaction: what the heck. Both sides seem to have a point.
The reason: since she has the mind of a 3-month old, she should keep a child's body as well. It will keep her more mobile, healthier and happier, also able to stay with her parents forever, go on trips etc.
Our reaction: yay, way to go, parents, every pillow angel should get this treatment, why didn't we think of this before?
Their (the mentally disabled people's) reaction: wtf, people, you injured a little girl, neutered her, insulted her dignity, made an object and an "angel" out of her, violated her body's integrity and took away the few simple pleasures she might have had in life (such as feeling her breasts rub against her clothes), including the pleasures of ever having sex or children. You also didn't give her a chance to say NO to any of this.
My reaction: what the heck. Both sides seem to have a point.
What's a Pillow Angel, Anyway?
A pillow angel is a person who has the mind of a six month old or less, even when they grow in size and reach puberty or adulthood. They can't talk, walk, sit, change position, or get toilet training. They stay where you put them, usually on a pillow.
They are also very angelic, beautiful, pure, spiritual and they make their owners happy by giving unconditioned love.
Ooops, did I say "owners"? I meant parents. Yes, parents, definitely.
Only, you know, the term "pillow angel" does sound awfully objectified.
And lots of mentally disabled people say that pillow angels are persons too: they can have their own mind, personality, inner life, choices and wishes, only it might be hard for them to express themselves.
Especially if your own parents see you as a spiritual object that should be placed on a pillow and made to laugh all the time. Speak to you? Why? It's pointless, you have a mind of a baby and no personality anyway.
They are also very angelic, beautiful, pure, spiritual and they make their owners happy by giving unconditioned love.
Ooops, did I say "owners"? I meant parents. Yes, parents, definitely.
Only, you know, the term "pillow angel" does sound awfully objectified.
And lots of mentally disabled people say that pillow angels are persons too: they can have their own mind, personality, inner life, choices and wishes, only it might be hard for them to express themselves.
Especially if your own parents see you as a spiritual object that should be placed on a pillow and made to laugh all the time. Speak to you? Why? It's pointless, you have a mind of a baby and no personality anyway.
What Would the Angel Choose?
According to her own parents, Ashley can indicate very clearly that she doesn't like sitting in a wheelchair and would rather lie down. Could she be presented with her own choice (estrogen vs. growing big and heavy and having to stay in bed all the time)? Could she choose wisely?
Her less mentally disabled peers think she could.
Her parents and everyone else in the "temporarily able" world think she couldn't.
The mentally disabled seem more angered by the neutering and breast removal, however. They say that nobody would ever choose these operations unless they were life threatening or otherwise necessary.
Her less mentally disabled peers think she could.
Her parents and everyone else in the "temporarily able" world think she couldn't.
The mentally disabled seem more angered by the neutering and breast removal, however. They say that nobody would ever choose these operations unless they were life threatening or otherwise necessary.
A Video Response to Ashley's Story
This video was noticed by CNN and Amanda Baggs became even more famous than Ashley X herself.
If you're going to watch it for it first time, I advise you to skip to 3:12 point where the Translation begins. CNN did that, too.
Us mentally healthy people tend to react very unpleasantly to the beginning of this video if we see it without preparation. So get prepared.
If you're going to watch it for it first time, I advise you to skip to 3:12 point where the Translation begins. CNN did that, too.
Us mentally healthy people tend to react very unpleasantly to the beginning of this video if we see it without preparation. So get prepared.
In My Language
The first part is in my "native language," and then the second part provides a translation, or at least an explanation. This is not a look-at-the-autie gawking freakshow as much as it is a statement about what gets considered thought, intelligence, personhood, language, and communication, and what does not.
Runtime: 8:35
708596 views
10 Comments:
Let's Simplify the Problem
If you give anyone large doses of estrogen for an extended period of time, they will certainly grow breasts (yes, even a man or a boy or a 6 year old girl). And if it's a girl, she will certainly bleed a lot from her uterus.
They are also more likely to get either breast or uterine cancer or both.
That's what estrogen does to you.
That's why, once you decide to give your pillow angel lots of estrogen, you have to consider the breast growth, cancer and bleeding problems.
That's why they removed Ashley's uterus and breasts. All the sexual, birth control, menstruation and comfort reasons they added to this are only bonus points, not the main reason.
So the problem, the controversial point that we should focus on here, is whether it is right to attenuate a child's growth or not.
They are also more likely to get either breast or uterine cancer or both.
That's what estrogen does to you.
That's why, once you decide to give your pillow angel lots of estrogen, you have to consider the breast growth, cancer and bleeding problems.
That's why they removed Ashley's uterus and breasts. All the sexual, birth control, menstruation and comfort reasons they added to this are only bonus points, not the main reason.
So the problem, the controversial point that we should focus on here, is whether it is right to attenuate a child's growth or not.
Links on Ashley X
- The Ashley Treatment
- The parent's side of the story.
- Attenuating Growth in Children With Profound Developmental Disability
- Medical science: every pillow angel should be given the opportunity to stop growing and stay with family.
- Helping families care for the helpless
- A bioethicist's view.
- Pillow Angel Ethics
- TIME article by Nancy Gibbs. Seems more in favor of treatment than against it.
Negative Reactions to Ashley's Treatment
Is there something wrong with the way her parents treat her?
- What people aren't getting
- A blogger's comment: Ashley is a human person, not a doll or an angel.
- Jessica Simpson Wants to Adopt a Pillow Angel
- Actually, she doesn't. This is a humorist article illustrating how a pillow angel is considered an object, not a person.
- Report: 'Pillow angel' surgery broke law
- CNN reports lawyers saying that you can't sterilize a disabled child without a court order (and aggressive legal protection). Hospital mumbles that sterilization wasn't the point.
Let me ask again: can you do hysterectomy in case of inevitable estrogen treatment and related heightened risk of bleeding/cancer/etc?
Then let us discuss if estrogen treatment was legal. That would be the correct way to do it, in my opinion.
Unsorted Links
As I mentioned, this lens is under construction. So these links are just notes to self on miscellaneous stuff I'm going to add to this lens later.
- Amanda Baggs
- ...
- Processing in Parts
- ...
- etiquette
- ...
- frozen girl
- ...
- more on Ashley
- some links in the end.
- human rights
- ...
- really mad
- ...
- the right to choose
- ...
