Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
- By Peter goodland
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Tue 12 Sep 2006 19:56
I recently sent this to newspapers to show my total disgust at the BBC for how they have portrayed Down's Syndrome. I would welcome comments please.
Title: Rejected at Birth!Have you any idea how damaging the latest Eastenders “rejected at birth” storyline is? Eastenders is a popular soap opera with a following of millions, including people with Downs Syndrome. The effect of them viewing the BBC's interpretation of parental rejection is at the least confusing, derogatory, misleading and at worst potentially harmful. To symbolise the reaction the baby's birth in this manor disregards the truth and reduces it to gross over-simplification that reinforces the stereotype and not the truth: over generalisation in this instance is harmful and irresponsible. To take Honey's maternal reaction to birth from dotting, loving, protective and ambitious to one of indifference, hopelessness and hatred indicates a complete lack of understanding about the issues. The fact is the truth is often very different from the way it is being shown. The damage done to public awareness by reinforcing this inaccurate portrayal is bad enough, which by itself is immoral, but to show this to people with Downs Syndrome is irresponsible and damaging. Anyone with Downs Syndrome seeing this would consider themselves unimportant and worthless. Society already does this by marginalising and discriminating against learning disability but to see this reinforced on national prime time TV angers and infuriates me. Raising a realist awareness of the issues of learning disability is the responsibility of government and it's charges! Part of the role of the BBC is to educate wisely: not contribute to devaluing people and inducing misunderstanding and fear.
The contrived nature of the story line carefully took the viewer along the path of hope and expectation of first time new parents, including planning a future and what they wanted from, and for, the baby. This carried the viewer along this happy, hopeful and expectant path: including viewers who have Downs Syndrome. They too followed the story line experiencing the intended "rollercoaster" of emotions build into a crescendo of joy as Honey gives birth and displays the maternal caring with the precious gift she had brought into the world. The happiness was overwhelming. Until the realisation the baby was "flawed": Imagine viewing this from the eyes of someone with Downs syndrome. Can you imagine how worthless you might feel?
The whole handling of this storyline is incompetent and thoughtless. In the chase for "viewer ratings" the BBC has without doubt damaged and confused the lives of those very people who most need protection from the misunderstanding and prejudice of modern British society. Life for many Downs Syndrome people is tough enough: they tend to lead insular and lonely lives without this type on misinformation making it worse! Oh, how am I so sure: because my wife spent a very difficult time talking to my 27 year old daughter with Downs Syndrome about this very issue following the airing of the programme!
Replies
- By jeanette
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Tue 12 Sep 2006 23:26Hi Peter,
I can imagine myself writing something in a similar vein when I was younger and my daughter was happy and fairly healthy,and a delight to be with.
I was told how 'happy and loving they are. love music ,enjoy their lives etc,was not told that related to SOME not all.
Now I am more of a mind to request that any information about Down's syndrome is truthful, and people are told the 'down'side too. Such as Many have heart defects ,hypothyroidism, hearing loss, eye defects, bowel trouble, can have challenging behaviour, and in my daughter's case ,very sadly ..develop dementia at a much earlier age than non Down's people. Another thing that needs to be 'shouted too' is that all are different, in their behaviour and are on lots of different rungs of a ladder in intelligence.Your daughter sounds very intelligent as she understands the Eastender subject. I know one who has had driving lessons ,and saw another chair a very important meeting excellently,but have also seen one throw a table across a room and another injure his brother.
Who knows what a person with down's syndrome will turn out to be, No one knows what a 'normal 'child will turn out to be either.
From what other mothers have told me ,honey's reactions where theirs ,but funnily enough,not mine. I bonded instantly.
I also know that the hospital intended her to die and i saved her life!! I was told to forget her and by myself a dog!!
we are now heart broken that our wonderful and very brave daughter has dementia and is a totally different person too.Nothing out there for Down's in dementia ,just a couple of aging people doing their best.
I wish I still looked at down's syndrome Through rose tinted glasses ..I used to.
East enders story is for everyone to react to,not just a person with Down's syndrome.If it raises awareness and produces Fact,I am all for it!
- By Jean_M
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Wed 13 Sep 2006 20:56Just a couple of aging people doing their best. How that strikes a chord.
Sending lots of love and sorry this has nothing to do with the topic
- By mag
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Thu 14 Sep 2006 17:49Like Jean, my heart goes out to you Jeanette. You are pouring out a lifetime of love caring for your daughter. Our experiences as carers are so varied and involve much heartache at times.
I did not see the programme and have no experience of down's syndrome.
Love
- By Lynn
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Fri 15 Sep 2006 23:05Didn't think I could respect you any more than I already did Jay - but I do.
I saw an interview on TV a couple of weeks ago with the father of a 4 year old lad with Downs. The DS Association had put the BBC in touch with him and his wife, they were (and still are) the official advisors on the Eastenders story line. Dad was absolutely delighted with the way it was handled and said it was almost exactly what had happened to them when their lad was born.
- By Peter goodland
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Sat 16 Sep 2006 08:15Lynn I would be interested to know how it benifits the child to know he was rejected at birth. When he is 18 and looks back at how his mother reacted, will he question what he thinks he knows about himself and his family. Does he need to know? And for those who had a loving start, without rejection: will they ask if itheir understnding is true, and if are they wanted and loved. I still believe this mostly faulse protrailal is not done to improve understanding but is a sensationalise acount for the sake of viewer ratings that unncessaryliy risks damage to many with an already low opinion of thier involvemnt and worth in society.
- By Lynn
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Sat 16 Sep 2006 12:33Peter, some very relevant points which obviously I wouldn't attempt to address. However what you say did encourage me to go to the DSA website and I've just spent a really interesting half hour looking through the information there.
Lots of stuff about the storyline and how the association and many families were involved all the way along. Also a very comprehensive FAQ section aimed at people with DS to address their concerns about the storyline - addressing most of the issues you raised.
For anyone interested this is the address and well worth a read. Don't know if its linkable, apologies if it doesn't work.
- By jeanette
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Sat 16 Sep 2006 17:50It is very nice to know someone is taking an interest in this particular , topic. Thank you Lynn,and thank you too for the website site info which I had not seen.
I do wish there was a program which shows A number of people with Down's syndrome at a much later age and the severe problems that appear as they get older!!
Not everyone of 'older Down's' ,has this problem, but from what I have read,approx 65 per cent suffer with early age dementia.!!
no matter how many professionals we have approached to put a new form of help and assistance in place NOTHING practical has happened!! Plenty of talk but no Action!!(which is why I asked Nick on another thread if any one of importance reads the boards)
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By HannahsmomUK
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Re: Media protrayal of Down's Syndrome in EasyEnders
Mon 18 Sep 2006 22:24My daughter is 4 years old and had Down's syndrome
I have welcomed BBC Eastenders covering this storyline. I was worried at first of how it would be portrayed and I know there will always be an element of sensationalism to any storyline.
I would like to say that as this story has unfolded it has mirrored my own story quite closely. We as parents were told seperately, I wondered whether my baby would be better of without me, or even if she would be better of having any life at all as we found out her heart condition. I was an emotional mess. How would I cope? I felt I had failed as a mother to produce and give my husband and his family the "perfect" child
and now ... 4years on, I couldn't love my little girl more. I would stand on the highest mountain for her and declare my love for her and tell her how proud I am.
Does this make me any less of a mother because of my initial reaction to her when I found out she had Down's syndrome. I hope not, I think it has opened my eyes and heart more and I think that we have to remember that other mothers like me go through the same feelings
Should they be made to feel guilty for feeling like this. I hope not. I hope that they can see through this storyline that it is quite common to have a reaction like this and they will reach out for help and support
BBC Eastenders have given out a help line so people know that they can seek help
I know they haven't gone into this storyline lightly and have done quite abit of research about Down's syndrome with the Down's syndrome Association. I am glad that someone has recommended their site, as there is quite alot of useful information on there regarding Eastenders and I know that they are working tirelessly at the moment making sure that people are supported if they have any questions that the storyline may have created
Certainly for us in our local support group since the story has been aired, I have been interviewed by the newspapers, radio and local TV station and its suprising just how little people know about Down's syndrome, even now.
I am using the window of opportunity to help educate people so they know more about Down's syndrome and also so they can see past the label and see my little girl for who she is