We at the United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council have been disappointed with the media coverage of 15-year-old Katie Thorpe's proposed hysterectomy. Much of the reporting represented Katie's mother, Alison, as a saint and that she was doing her best for Katie.
We wanted to express the severity of performing such an unnecessary operation on a young person. While Katie may not understand periods or her responsibilities as a parent, she still has human rights which must be respected and upheld. Under article eight of the Human Rights Act, everyone has the right to bodily integrity.
One of the prevailing arguments for sterilisation is to prevent Katie from becoming pregnant or sexually abused. Sterilisation will not prevent disabled women from being exploited, on the contrary, they are more likely to be at risk of abuse as there would be few or no noticeable physical signs of it. Abuse and exploitation can only be prevented if society treats such women with respect.
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