The Authenticity Of People With Down Syndrome

People with Down syndrome. People with a different biological condition, people who have an extra chromosome in the pair 21. A trisomy that occurs with intellectual disabilities and that generates the distinctive physical features of this condition, such as a characteristic fold in the corner of the eyes, a elongation of the same and a slightly thicker and, occasionally, cracked tongue.

Their particularity also makes them authentic, genuine, unique, without artifice.  Natural people, people with great spontaneity who make a difference with theirs

, their sensitivity, their emotional richness, their ability to see the good things in life, to generate rich and incomparable exchanges.

World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated every 21 March in order not to forget the need to give visibility to intellectual disability and not to stop working to improve the social inclusion of these people. Each year there are multiple campaigns  that aim to reflect the authenticity and charisma of people with Down syndrome.

These are initiatives rich in sensitivity, affection and, it is worth being redundant, of authenticity. It must be said that

.

What can be done as a society in relation to Down syndrome? The answer is clear, we still have a long way to go. There are still many barriers, many prejudices

myths to dispel, as well as a lot of information to absorb.

First, if we analyze the situation superficially, we can point out that we are wrong when we relate to adults with Down syndrome by treating them as if they were children.  We are wrong to show a paternalistic attitude.  We are wrong to

and not to treat them naturally.

. Therefore people with Down syndrome require intellectual disability to come

a natural condition of life of some subjects who see themselves spontaneously, frankly and without complexes.

Many of us have sometimes heard the comment of “What a pity!” or “Poor thing!” in reference to a person with Down syndrome. However, while it’s a very common reaction, it reflects the fact that we don’t know there’s no reason to feel sorry or pity.  Everyone lives with their conditions and people with Down syndrome struggle every day to do it with theirs, which are unique.

This is important, because not all people with Down syndrome are the same , just as not all others are the same, regardless of their condition. Having this clear allows us to emphasize that we must strive to know all people in their variety, not for those traits that lead us to classify someone in a group.

We also remember that Down syndrome does not define anyone…  Each person defines himself in the course of his life by developing different abilities.

We are on the road to a different world, a world where respect, integration, the normalization of difference and coexistence are raised like a flag. There is still a lot to do, and to make this “much” a little smaller, we can start by joining the initiatives that are organized in this regard, during the world day of Down syndrome and not.