“I Wouldn’t Change You If I Could”

Abstract

When Alison Piepmeier finds out that her intentional pregnancy might result in a child with Down syndrome, she shares her anxiety with readers of her blog. With many of them assuring her that she’ll probably not have a baby with a disability, Alison looks elsewhere for reassurance. Three activists, who are also parents of children with Down syndrome, embody the evolution in popular thought about Down syndrome and other conditions. Emily Perl Kingsley, Cindi May, and Stephanie Meredith experienced society’s evolving view of disability with their children. Each woman has worked toward presenting disability as part of the diversity of human beings. With time, Alison learns that her daughter, Maybelle, need not attain cultural definitions of normal and that Maybelle’s valued personhood demands broader societal recognition.