Dear Editor Letter to be published I am replying to the article Rights For The Living (Friday 24th Aug). I am a Disabled activist (not linked to any Pro-Life group) who is campaigning to get the 1967 Abortion Act amended so that both Disabled and Non Disabled Babies have equal rights to life. I also wrote to the DRC stating why the Abortion Act is discriminatory and their statement does not go far enough. I am all for a woman's right to have access to a safe abortion after deciding she does not want to give birth. However what is unacceptable is a woman being allowed to pick and choose the physical and intellectual characteristics of her baby. In addition it is inaccurate to say foetuses are not people, as in the Abortion Act says non disabled foetuses are considered as people at 24 weeks whilst for disabled foetuses it is at birth. This is extremely discriminatory. We would find it unacceptable if boy and girl foetuses were considered as potential people at different ages. Further more The Abortion law at the moment does not permit a woman to abort a baby simply on the grounds of gender and ethnicity. If we allowed women to abort babies simply on the grounds of gender and ethnicity then we would encourage the same intolerance and prejudices towards such children. This is clearly illustrated by recent reports which show the high rate of abandonment of baby girls in China which permits sex selection. We can see the same intolerance towards Disabled Babies where 90% are aborted after being screened and those who are born alive are usually a member of a one parent family or are given up for adoption. Yours sincerely Simone Aspis |