The incongruity of ableism and abortion.
The incongruity of ableism and abortion ~ Shiv Mehrotra “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” A bare perusal of the laws surrounding abortion may not indicate the relevance of the aforementioned axiom. However, a more detailed reading of the said laws brings to light a very apparent paradox. There has been substantial debate surrounding reproductive rights in the past 7 decades however, several critical questions remain undiscussed let alone answered. Is the right to life of a foetus suffering from disability, down syndrome or autism less worthy than the life of a healthy foetus? Are certain foetuses more disposable than others simply because they are differently abled? Let us have a look at what the current laws in India surrounding abortion have to say – Section 3 (2B) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 2021 (‘MTP Act 2021’) states that any pregnancy can be terminated where the length of the pregnancy exceeds 24 we...