Bonsai for the congenitally incapacitated?
Parents of a severely disabled girl in the US have revealed that they are keeping her child-sized in order to give her a better life.
Looked at one way, this is a sensible and humane decision in response to a horrible situation. If someone is inherently so severely limited that they require constant care and attention, and will never have the capacity to make their own decisions, why not surgically/chemically alter them to allow for easier care by the family and thus (presumably) more happiness on their part?
On the other hand, it's creepy. Really creepy. Some of the justifications for the surgery seem particularly disturbing. "Um, yeah, we decided to cut her breasts off. That way she's less likely to get raped." There are psychological issues dancing all over the place.
On the other hand, this is, IMRHO, more humane than sending her to live in an institution, to say nothing of committing infanticide on a 9-year old. I would hate to have to face the choices these parents are facing.
Looked at one way, this is a sensible and humane decision in response to a horrible situation. If someone is inherently so severely limited that they require constant care and attention, and will never have the capacity to make their own decisions, why not surgically/chemically alter them to allow for easier care by the family and thus (presumably) more happiness on their part?
On the other hand, it's creepy. Really creepy. Some of the justifications for the surgery seem particularly disturbing. "Um, yeah, we decided to cut her breasts off. That way she's less likely to get raped." There are psychological issues dancing all over the place.
On the other hand, this is, IMRHO, more humane than sending her to live in an institution, to say nothing of committing infanticide on a 9-year old. I would hate to have to face the choices these parents are facing.