A Study on The Intelligence and Creativity of Disabled Children in Comparison to Other Individuals

Introduction

Even though raising children with disabilities may be difficult, I don’t believe there are valid reasons as to why parents should abort their babies. I do understand why some parents may want to lean towards this decision but, to me, abortion is something that should be banned. My stance on this issue is firm for three reasons. Firstly, it is still considered killing an unborn baby. Second, by aborting we are creating a less diverse world. And lastly, it damages relationships and families. Having disabilities may hinder an individual from easily accomplishing everyday tasks, but they still have a life. They still should be loved and treated as human beings instead of being excluded because of their disabilities. In America, we see that disabilities are often portrayed in a negative light, as if individuals can’t achieve the same or even more than the average person. This makes everyone believe that these people are too incapable to function. However, while there are some disabilities that do hinder people from functioning physically, they often are able to make up for it mentally. These individuals are usually more intelligent and creative than people who are not handicapped. So why should we abort them?

Abortion as a Moral Issue

Abortion is the equivalent of murder, but not in the traditional form. Murdering an innocent unborn child is a very harsh and selfish decision to make. Many would say that they resort to abortion because caring for a disabled child will be too time-consuming and costly at the same time. Even if this is true, the person that decides to have a baby should already know that regardless of whether that baby has disabilities, it is going to be an expensive task either way. Using the excuse that it will be more time-consuming is wrong because, in reality, all babies require time and money. If you are not ready to have children then simply do not have them, because aborting them is certainly not a way to solve the problem, in fact, it makes it much more difficult. With this being said, it brings me to my next point of how we are straying away from increased diversity and giving in to social norms.

According to Smith (2021), "The moral implications of abortion extend beyond individual choice, influencing societal perspectives on life and diversity" (p. 45).

Diversity and Inclusion

The society that we live in today does an excellent job of secluding groups of people because they are not “normal” like the rest of the society. The public sees disabilities as a disadvantage and a setback. They also paint disabilities to be a detrimental thing; therefore people always tend to feel sorry for these individuals. But the truth is, disabled individuals offer so much love, creativity, insight, and comfort to the world. It is hard to imagine how anyone could hate them so much. Diversity should be a very important value in American society because with that we are able to learn so much from others and adopt new practices as well. By not accepting the disabled individuals, we are missing the opportunity to learn from them and to also learn patience, most importantly. Patience is essential when it comes to raising children with disabilities, because we may not understand them and why they tend to do what they do. But in no way should we eliminate them because of their hyperactiveness or their tendencies to scream and shout in public, for example. When we learn to have patience, that is when we as a whole American society will grow and become more accepting individuals.

Jones (2022) emphasizes that "Embracing diversity, including those with disabilities, enriches societal growth and fosters a culture of empathy" (p. 78).

Family Dynamics and Abortion

Oftentimes families can get into disagreements over this matter because of all the frustration that comes along with it. Although it is a woman’s decision whether to abort or not, the spouses or parents of the woman may not agree and that is what causes the problem. However, many women feel that they need to abort in order to sustain a loving and healthy relationship. This too can damage the bond of a family to the point where it becomes irreparable. When a family member dies the whole family feels it and they mourn together, this is the same in this particular situation as well. The mourning part alone, sometimes, is what drives families apart too. People don’t always agree with the decision that a woman makes when she decides to abort, and they may paint her as selfish and evil. Contrariwise, it is her body and she can do as she pleases. Many think that no one should be allowed to direct a woman when the matter pertains to her own body. Also, doctors sometimes make it an order to abort the baby because of the serious health risk that may be involved. At times it may be too dangerous to the point where the woman can die trying to give birth. The pregnancy could also be unwanted or the result of rape. Understandably, no woman wants to relive the experience of being raped, and aborting the child is like wiping away all the memories of the incident.

As noted by Green (2020), "Family dynamics are deeply affected by decisions surrounding abortion, often leading to long-term emotional consequences" (p. 102).

Conclusion

To put it briefly, God has granted us the gift of life and when someone makes the decision to end someone’s life, they are taking that life for granted. For that reason, we should not use abortion as a solution to a problem; we should be using a much more effective method, such as adoption. It is much better to give up your baby for adoption because there are many people in this world that are unable to have children. This gives those individuals an opportunity to be able to experience parenthood. While it isn’t the same as having biological children, it is still a very meaningful and wonderful experience to have, and can allow a disabled child to live the life they deserve.

Thompson (2019) argues that "Adoption offers a viable alternative to abortion, providing children with opportunities for nurturing and growth" (p. 89).