What should have been a heartwarming local birth announcement was, in Miss Mumpy's opinion, corrupted into sensationalist journalism for the global press vultures.
This associated press article reports of the successful birth of baby Timothy the first child of Roy and Eloysa Vasquez. A beautiful moment for the family, right? Then why did they have to add such sentences as this: "Her tiny, distorted body left little room for a fetus to grow and Vasquez suffered two miscarriages before doctors at Stanford University's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital delivered her son, Timothy, by Cesarean section on Jan. 24." Her tiny, distorted body! Oh, that will do wonders for spreading awareness and acceptance!
And what about the family? Why be reminded of two miscarriages at a time when they have brought a beautiful baby boy into the world? I am not one for being overly PC (obviously) but I really do draw the line here.
Shame on you associated press.
Fwah!!! I think you guys are simply AWESOME! :) I am gonna get one of the gimpy journals 8-)
Posted by: Ruth | April 16, 2006 at 01:43 AM
Stella, your mom sounds very cool!
I don't know what people are thinking. I'm sure in their minds the people that are calling think they are the bearers of good news, if only they could understand. *sigh*
Posted by: Gimpy Mumpy | February 12, 2006 at 08:24 PM
Oh good lord! I have the same impairment as that woman and people have been telling me about that story all weekend. Funnily enough, it wasn't the dodgy reporting they were telling me about, so obviously calling a body like mine "tiny and distorted" didn't seem so strange to them. Nice.
Some idiot even called my parents to tell them the INCREDIBLE news that someone with OI had a baby. My very cool mum, to her credit, said "ahhh, yes, all sorts of people have babies you know.... was there anything else I can help you with?"
You reckon the subtext of that particular line might be "being so completely hideous, it's a wonder she found anyone to shag her tiny distorted body in the first place"?
Grrrrr!
Posted by: stella | February 12, 2006 at 05:54 PM
This kind of story is exactly why I hate the press. Someone had a baby!! Big deal, I seem to recall a lot of women having babies everyday. The spin on this story seems to be one of "hey look, a crip has had a baby. Should that be allowed? Especially when her husband looks so normal, how disgusting..."
Do they have to sensationalise absolutely everything when it comes to disabled people. We can't even procreate these days it seems without us feeling f**king grateful. It sickens me to my stomach. The only good thing to come out of this is that two people who have wanted to have children have finally got what they wished for and that is a wonderful thing. It doesn't have to be dressed up in some brave crip bollocks.
Posted by: marmiteboy | February 11, 2006 at 12:14 PM
"Her tiny, distorted body" - that's so insulting. Can you imagine if the press used similar degrading adjectives in other stories? Like, "his fat, blob-like body" or "her grotesque, shriveled face". Those wankers.
I'm really impressed that she had that baby. I have osteoporosis and I thought my bones would just break like twigs if I got pregnant. I guess not necessarily!
Posted by: The Angry Gimp | February 10, 2006 at 08:42 PM
Unfortunately, in this misery seeking world we live in, the public thrive on any story that can be seen as pesimistic. When you have a great joyful story like this, then the press have got to add in a little bit of misery. The awwww, little lady factor.
It smakes of the "being brave, triumph over adversity" story that mainstream public just love.
I can't remember the lady's name now. I just think it's damn good luck, more than welcome luck for her and the whole family! Simple as that in my view. I hope the couple aren't bothering to read the article. They don't need reminders of past struggles in such a great time as they are lving in.
Posted by: JustinR | February 10, 2006 at 12:30 PM
The press was rude.
The baby and it's parents look happy and healthy..
Posted by: Happy and Blue | February 10, 2006 at 12:03 PM
You can always count on the media to turn things into crap. I'm shocked they didn't try to make it into a movie of the week. Next weekend on Fox, a heartrending drama about a baby crammed into a tiny womb, suvivng against all odds.
Wankers
Posted by: rainypete | February 10, 2006 at 10:26 AM