Show Notes
Episode 331: We’re Back! Catching Up on a Big Summer in the Down Syndrome Community We’re back! After a three-month summer break, we’re catching up on some of the biggest conversations, stories, and moments that happened across the Down syndrome community while we were away. We start with a difficult conversation surrounding YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley, who publicly shared their prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis and decision to terminate their pregnancy. We talk about the weight of sharing deeply personal moments online, the pressure advocates can feel to respond publicly, and the misinformation and fear that still surround a Down syndrome diagnosis. We also discuss the importance of how we narrate the lives of people with Down syndrome—not through tragedy or inspiration, but through the fullness of their humanity. Then we turn toward some of the encouraging stories we saw this summer, including Texas Rangers usher and dancing queen Hannah Speirs, Rachel McKay Bailey’s perspective on expecting a baby with Down syndrome, and the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act supporting Down syndrome research. We also remember Born This Way star Christina Sands and the legacy she leaves behind. And finally, we’re sharing some good news from our own families: Ace reaching a new level of independence, Sunflower’s first mother-daughter pedicure, and Macy turning 18. We missed you, friends. We’re glad to be back.
Links: Hannah Speirs — Texas Rangers Dancing Queen TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/hannah-speirs-texas-rangers Rachel McKay Bailey — Pregnancy & Down Syndrome The Times: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/parenting/article/pregnancy-downs-syndrome-motherhood-gzkfrh7mb Amy Julia Becker — Responding to the Jesse Ridgway Controversy https://amyjuliabecker.com/who-gets-to-tell-our-story-of-down-syndrome/ DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act GLOBAL Down Syndrome Foundation: https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/deondra-dixon-include-project-act/ Thank You to Our Sponsors Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind. Learn more: https://downforgreens.co Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order. ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning. Free resource: Who Will Carry What? Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family. Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome. Stories & Resources MentionedIn This EpisodeThank You to Our SponsorsDown For GreensENABLE Special Needs PlanningConnect With Us
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