Is Choosing a Deaf Baby Unheared of?

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A little insight into Deaf culture might be in order here. There are two ways to refer to the Deaf. "Big D" Deaf and "little d" deaf. Little d deaf is someone was born Hearing, but has lost that sense due to illness or injury. They usually consider the loss a disability. "Big D" Deaf people were either born without hearing or lost their hearing and adapted to life without it. The people in this category do not consider themselves disabled and are very offended by people who do. To Deaf people, the word is just another way to decribe who they are, much like I use words like "Red~Headed", "Blue~Eyed", "Freckle~Faced", "Left~Handed", "Colorblind" when describing myself. I wouldn't consider any of them "disabilities", but many of these descriptors have been considered such in cultures throughout human history. Deaf couples aren't disappointed or sad when they learn their baby is Deaf. In fact, in most cases they consider it a bonding attribute. Don't all parents feel something nice when they notice their own attributes in their offspring? Ok, now to the point of my article. "The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill permits the selection of a hearing child through IVF, but embryos with deafness genes will be discarded, provided at least one other is found to be "perfect"." There are couples who are outraged by this act of eugenics and discrimination. The bill would require that embryos identified with the Deaf gene to be discarded along with those carrying disability and birth defect markers. "Tomato Lichy, an artist and designer, and his deaf partner Paula Garfield, a theatre director, argue that to prefer a hearing embryo over a deaf one is tantamount to discrimination and suggests they do not have the same right to life." This is a new wrinkle on "equality" isn't it? We speak out against Eugenics, but how far are we really wiling to go with it? Should parents be able to choose offspring with what "we" would consider "birth defects"? Should this be a matter for law at all? For me, I'm horrified that Deafness may be used as an excuse for institutionalized discrimination! Yes, there are things that a Deaf person can't do, but there are things each of us so called, "healthy" people can't do. Who is Parliament or any government of a free society to decide what attributes are worthy of allowing to live and which aren't? I admit, I would rather lose my eyesight than my hearing. If I went deaf I would be devastated. However, I am not going to sit hear and say that deaf or Deaf people are somehow less than human, or worse.. not worthy to live. Deaf people are proud, productive members of society and deserve every right, privilege and choice available to all others. I agree, this bill stinks of eugenics, elistism and spits in the face of the Right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581333/Couple-who-want-deaf-child-angry-at-IVF-ban.html