Defiant Birth

Author:   Melinda Tankard Reist
Publisher:   Spinifex Press
ISBN:  

9781876756598


Pages:   200
Publication Date:   24 January 2006
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

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Defiant Birth


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Overview

This book tells the personal stories of women who have resisted medical eugenics -- women who were told they shouldn't have babies because of perceived disability in themselves or shouldn't have babies because of some imperfection in the child. They have confronted the stigma of disability and in the face of silent disapproval and even open hostility, had their babies anyway, in the belief that all life is valuable and that some are not more worthy of it than others. This is a book about women who have dared challenge the utilitarian medical model/mindset. Disparaged and treated as pariahs for departing from accepted medical wisdom they have chosen non compliance with medical/social prejudice and defiantly said yes to their babies, and no to the cult of bodily perfection. This is a controversial book that looks critically at the way in which medical eugenics is being used as a contemporary form of social engineering. Melinda Tankard Reist has written a strongly argued and trenchant introduction setting out the issues, among them the idea that having children is about quality control and the paradigm of perfection. Defiant Birth explores what is means to have less-than-perfect pregnancies and genetically different babies. People with disabilities have been raising these issues for many years, but on the whole they remain silent and marginalised in the media. Among the issues raised are: how accurate are screening procedures? What is a worthwhile life? Who should decide which life is worth living?

Full Product Details

Author:   Melinda Tankard Reist
Publisher:   Spinifex Press
Imprint:   Spinifex Press
Dimensions:   Width: 21.50cm , Height: 2.60cm , Length: 14.00cm
Weight:   0.380kg
ISBN:  

9781876756598


ISBN 10:   1876756594
Pages:   200
Publication Date:   24 January 2006
Audience:   General/trade ,  Professional and scholarly ,  General ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

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Melinda Tankard Reist is a Canberra author, commentator and advocate with a special interest in issues affecting women and girls. Her commentary has been published and broadcast widely in Australia and abroad and she is a frequent speaker at girls' schools.

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