yes
malini
>From: "Lilah Pengra" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Med Model Doco from Hell - "Joella's Story"
>Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 10:03:08 -0600
>
>Judy,
>Could I have your permission to forward this as a post on a medical
>anthropology discussion list I'm on? I know there will be some who might
>take the time to write to the broadcasting company and/or the segment
>producers. Lilah
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Judy Singer <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Disability Research <[log in to unmask]>
>Cc: OZAdvocacy <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Thursday, August 24, 2000 7:00 AM
>Subject: Med Model Doco from Hell - "Joella's Story"
>
>
> >I'm so beside myself at an atrocious "Tragedy" model doco I just watched
>on
> >the ABC's Science Show "Quantum" that I must needs burst into email and
> >rejoin Dis-Res and OzAdvocacy just to vent on it. Excuse my incoherence,
>as
> >I'm feeling just a bit emotional about this
> >
> >You can see the blurb for this piece of s*&!% at
> >http://www.abc.net.au/quantum/qnewsgrp.htm
> >
> >Maybe I've been leading a sheltered life lately, but this simply
>horrified
> >me.
> >
> >Its about this 10 year old intersex child, raised as a girl, who is being
> >harried into various operations to make her "normal", though she doesnt
>want
> >to be and wishes people would like her the way she is. Her mother, who is
> >working class, is doing her best to hold out and buy some time for her,
> >against the dark and gloomy warnings of an assortment of emotionally
> >atrophied upper class Medical Specialists who keep warning her that her
> >child is going to have a tragic life if she doesnt consent to these
> >procedures.
> >
> >The voiceover is somthing atrocious as in,
> >
> > "It is believed that genetics may be to 'blame' for these 'terrible'
> >birth defects'
> >
> >I lost count of the times the word "to blame", "Tragic", "terrible"
> >appeared, in the hushed and mournful tones of the announcer
> >
> >despite the fact that the Joella herself was totallylively, charming,
>and
> >happy with her life, except when made to squirm by being put on the spot
>by
> >Mr Fish-Eyed Surgeon about "Hmm, you dont seem to want an operation do
>you.
> >Well you know you know your life will be a tragedy if you dont! (Some of
>the
> >surgery she'd had was necessary, but the supremely self-confident gall of
> >these nifty fingered old fogies determining how she was to be re-assigned
> >was something else).
> >
> >Another telling bit were these shots that we were meant to see as
> >heartbreaking, of a clothesline, with all denim and blue baby clothes,
>and
> >then it faded out and was replaced with all pink and white clothes, and
>the
> >mother talking about how it broke her heart to have to thow away the
>denims.
> >
> >In the YEAR 2000!??
> >
> >I can understand these film-makers never having heard of the Social Model
> >.... but never having heard of Feminism???
> >
> >Anyhow, see for yourselves if you're running low on adrenaline
> >
> >According to this show, abt 1 in 1000 people are born with some degree of
> >intersex - how astonishing that we have been able to suppress such a huge
> >population and cut them down to boring old M and F
> >
> >Apparently, the reason why this child needs surgery, is because she wont
>be
> >able to get a passport, as you dont get any other choices besides M and
>F,
> >and she was registered as M and sex changes are forbidden in UK law, and
> >therefore the only way out of these impasse is the knife.... I dont
> >understand either ...
> >
> >Oh well, now to compose some responsible sounding version of this rave to
> >send to the ABC ...
> >
> >Judy SInger
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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