The title alone makes the assertion that parents want to create designer deaf children. However, the real issue for deaf parents is not designer deaf babies but that Clause 14 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill does not allow a person to select a deaf embryo.
(9) Persons or embryos that are known to have a gene, chromosome or mitochondrion abnormality involving a significant risk that a person with the abnormality will have or develop—So, is deafness a serious medical condition?
(a) a serious physical or mental disability,
(b) a serious illness, or
(c) any other serious medical condition,
must not be preferred to those that are not known to have such an abnormality.
During debate in the House of Lord, a statement by Baroness Deech provides even further clarification:
In the scientific field, the Bill confirms the wider use of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. That is good. I hope that your Lordships will be pleased that the deliberate choice of an embryo that is, for example, likely to be deaf will be prevented by Clause 14.Basically, the implications of this legislation will be that if an infertile deaf couple wants to have a child, they will be denied on the basis that embryos associated with genetic deafness (a serious medical condition) are not preferred.
This proposed policy brings back memories of the early 20th century eugenics movement.
Will persons with a deaf brother or sister also be denied from undergoing IVF?
Charlie Davenport most certainly thought it to be a good idea
See also: Eugenics Archive
Hitler was also fond of the concept.
According to the Nazi Sterilization Law (see page 4 below),
not all of these [deaf persons] will be sterilized, though all will be examined with that in view.
All who are interested in eugenics and the neo-eugenics movement will need to stay aware of further developments relating to Clause 14
