J.K.S.
2014-09-27 20:54:46 UTC
Lesbian couple create a child who is deaf like them
A deaf lesbian couple who chose to have a deaf child receive a
lot of criticism
A deaf lesbian couple in the US deliberately tried to create a
deaf child. Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough hoped their
child, conceived with the help of a sperm donor, would be deaf
like the rest of the family. Their daughter, five year old
Jehanne, is also deaf and was conceived with the same donor.
News of the couple choosing to have a deaf child has only been
revealed with the birth of their son Gauvin.14
To increase their chance of having a deaf baby the women sought
a deaf sperm donor from a sperm bank but were told that
congenital deafness is precisely the sort of condition that
disqualifies would-be donors. Rather than dismiss the idea they
found their own sperm donor by asking a deaf friend who comes
from a family with five generations of deafness.1
The women, both professionals in the mental health field, insist
that they would still love their child if it could hear: A
hearing baby would be a blessing. A deaf baby would be a special
blessing.1
Like many others in the deaf community, the couple dont view
deafness as a disability. They see deafness as a cultural
identity and the sophisticated sign language that enables them
to communicate fully with other signers as the defining and
unifying feature of their culture.1
Both women were born deaf and want their children to share their
culture. They each suffered from being raised to function
primarily in the hearing world. Ms Duchesneau experienced
numbing isolation at school without the benefit of sign
language or exposure to other deaf people. She grew up feeling
that she was flawed. Ms McCullough, the child of deaf parents,
was brought up using sign language and attended a hearing high
school with an interpreter. She also suffered isolation: No
teenage conversation can survive the intrusion of third-party
interpretation.1
Both women later attended Gallaudet, the worlds only liberal
arts university for the deaf. Gallaudet also nurtures a lively
deaf intelligentsia. Ms Duchesneau took sign lessons and
describes her time at the university and becoming part of the
deaf community as the best time. . . . People understood me. I
didnt have to explain myself. . . . It was a positive thing to
be deaf at Gallaudet.1
Current controversy
A deaf lesbian couple who sought a sperm donor with a family
history of deafness in order to have a child they hoped would be
deaf have attracted a lot of criticism. They have been
criticised for deliberately creating a deaf child, for denying
their child a hearing aid, and for raising the child in a
homosexual household.
In trying to have a deaf child, the women see themselves as no
different from parents trying to have a girl. Girls can be
discriminated against the same as deaf people and black people
have harder lives, one of them argues. They compare themselves
to a minority group.1
At four months of age, hearing tests confirm that Gauvin is
quite deaf though not as profoundly deaf as his sister. It
appears that Gauvins right ear has some residual hearing and a
hearing aid is suggested. The doctor says, if they want to take
advantage of it, they should do it now: Right now its an ear
that could be aided, to give him a head start on spoken
English. Most parents would try a hearing aid in the hope that
the child could hear something or that it would help with lip
reading, but Gauvins parents will not permit him to have one at
present. They say if he wants a hearing aid later, theyll let
him have one.1
There has been some sympathy and support for the womens
decision to raise a deaf child. Brian Rope, head of the Deafness
Forum of Australia said: I understand where they are coming
from. . . . Lots of deaf parents would like to have a deaf
child, but most of them take what they get.2 Zina Emmerson,
who, like her husband and three of her four children is
profoundly deaf, said: For me, I would just let it happen
naturally. I was happy either way (with my children). As long as
they were healthy. But I can understand why they did it. Its so
easy to communicate with your own kids in your language.5
Mostly though, the lesbian couples actions have attracted
criticism. I cant understand why anybody would want to bring a
disabled child into the world6 said Nancy Rarus, of the
National Association of the Deaf. Deaf people dont have as
many choices, she says.1
Ken Connor, president of the Family Research Council, a
profamily organisation, also criticises the deliberate attempt
to create a deaf child. To intentionally give a child a
disability, in addition to all the disadvantages that come as a
result of being raised in a homosexual household, is incredibly
selfish, he claims.4
A deaf lesbian couple who chose to have a deaf child receive a
lot of criticism
REFERENCES
? Mundy L. A world of their own. The Washington Post 2002 Mar
31: W22. Accessed April 6 2002 at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/articles/A231942002Mar27.html
? Baby Gauvin was born to be deaf. The Herald Sun 2002 April 9:
7.
Teather D. Deaf baby designed by deaf lesbian couple. The Age
2002 Apr 9: news section: 3.
? Pyeatt M. Deaf lesbians criticized for efforts to create deaf
child. CNSNews.com 2002 Apr 2. Accessed 2002 Apr 4 at
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/a
rchive/200204/CUL20020402a.html
? Barry E. Family united in deafness pride. Herald Sun 2002 Apr
10: news section: 15.
? Couple choose to have deaf baby. BBC News 2002 Apr 8.
Accessed 9/4/2002 at
http://news.bbc.co.uk
/hi/english/health/newsid_1916000/1916462.stm
A deaf lesbian couple who chose to have a deaf child receive a
lot of criticism
A deaf lesbian couple in the US deliberately tried to create a
deaf child. Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough hoped their
child, conceived with the help of a sperm donor, would be deaf
like the rest of the family. Their daughter, five year old
Jehanne, is also deaf and was conceived with the same donor.
News of the couple choosing to have a deaf child has only been
revealed with the birth of their son Gauvin.14
To increase their chance of having a deaf baby the women sought
a deaf sperm donor from a sperm bank but were told that
congenital deafness is precisely the sort of condition that
disqualifies would-be donors. Rather than dismiss the idea they
found their own sperm donor by asking a deaf friend who comes
from a family with five generations of deafness.1
The women, both professionals in the mental health field, insist
that they would still love their child if it could hear: A
hearing baby would be a blessing. A deaf baby would be a special
blessing.1
Like many others in the deaf community, the couple dont view
deafness as a disability. They see deafness as a cultural
identity and the sophisticated sign language that enables them
to communicate fully with other signers as the defining and
unifying feature of their culture.1
Both women were born deaf and want their children to share their
culture. They each suffered from being raised to function
primarily in the hearing world. Ms Duchesneau experienced
numbing isolation at school without the benefit of sign
language or exposure to other deaf people. She grew up feeling
that she was flawed. Ms McCullough, the child of deaf parents,
was brought up using sign language and attended a hearing high
school with an interpreter. She also suffered isolation: No
teenage conversation can survive the intrusion of third-party
interpretation.1
Both women later attended Gallaudet, the worlds only liberal
arts university for the deaf. Gallaudet also nurtures a lively
deaf intelligentsia. Ms Duchesneau took sign lessons and
describes her time at the university and becoming part of the
deaf community as the best time. . . . People understood me. I
didnt have to explain myself. . . . It was a positive thing to
be deaf at Gallaudet.1
Current controversy
A deaf lesbian couple who sought a sperm donor with a family
history of deafness in order to have a child they hoped would be
deaf have attracted a lot of criticism. They have been
criticised for deliberately creating a deaf child, for denying
their child a hearing aid, and for raising the child in a
homosexual household.
In trying to have a deaf child, the women see themselves as no
different from parents trying to have a girl. Girls can be
discriminated against the same as deaf people and black people
have harder lives, one of them argues. They compare themselves
to a minority group.1
At four months of age, hearing tests confirm that Gauvin is
quite deaf though not as profoundly deaf as his sister. It
appears that Gauvins right ear has some residual hearing and a
hearing aid is suggested. The doctor says, if they want to take
advantage of it, they should do it now: Right now its an ear
that could be aided, to give him a head start on spoken
English. Most parents would try a hearing aid in the hope that
the child could hear something or that it would help with lip
reading, but Gauvins parents will not permit him to have one at
present. They say if he wants a hearing aid later, theyll let
him have one.1
There has been some sympathy and support for the womens
decision to raise a deaf child. Brian Rope, head of the Deafness
Forum of Australia said: I understand where they are coming
from. . . . Lots of deaf parents would like to have a deaf
child, but most of them take what they get.2 Zina Emmerson,
who, like her husband and three of her four children is
profoundly deaf, said: For me, I would just let it happen
naturally. I was happy either way (with my children). As long as
they were healthy. But I can understand why they did it. Its so
easy to communicate with your own kids in your language.5
Mostly though, the lesbian couples actions have attracted
criticism. I cant understand why anybody would want to bring a
disabled child into the world6 said Nancy Rarus, of the
National Association of the Deaf. Deaf people dont have as
many choices, she says.1
Ken Connor, president of the Family Research Council, a
profamily organisation, also criticises the deliberate attempt
to create a deaf child. To intentionally give a child a
disability, in addition to all the disadvantages that come as a
result of being raised in a homosexual household, is incredibly
selfish, he claims.4
A deaf lesbian couple who chose to have a deaf child receive a
lot of criticism
REFERENCES
? Mundy L. A world of their own. The Washington Post 2002 Mar
31: W22. Accessed April 6 2002 at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/articles/A231942002Mar27.html
? Baby Gauvin was born to be deaf. The Herald Sun 2002 April 9:
7.
Teather D. Deaf baby designed by deaf lesbian couple. The Age
2002 Apr 9: news section: 3.
? Pyeatt M. Deaf lesbians criticized for efforts to create deaf
child. CNSNews.com 2002 Apr 2. Accessed 2002 Apr 4 at
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/a
rchive/200204/CUL20020402a.html
? Barry E. Family united in deafness pride. Herald Sun 2002 Apr
10: news section: 15.
? Couple choose to have deaf baby. BBC News 2002 Apr 8.
Accessed 9/4/2002 at
http://news.bbc.co.uk
/hi/english/health/newsid_1916000/1916462.stm