French TV Bans Smiling Down Syndrome Children–Might ‘Disturb’ Post-Abortive Women

France’s Conseil d’État (State Council) banned the award-winning “Dear Future Mom” video from airing on French television due to concerns that the expressions of happy children with Down syndrome in the video were “inappropriate” because they were “likely to disturb the conscience of women who had lawfully made different personal life choices.”

The Council rejected the Jerome Lejeune Foundation’s request last week to lift the ban.

“Dear Future Mom” was produced by the Italian Down Syndrome Advocacy organization CoorDown for World Down Syndrome Day in 2014. The video features smiling children and young adults with Down syndrome from different countries reassuring a worried pregnant woman that her child can be happy.

The Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment has started a petition on Change.org, saying, “The Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment (GADIM) as an international disability and media organization acting within a framework of human rights and with the support of the video’s creators CoorDown (Italy), respectfully asks the French government intervene to lift the ban.”
“No other country has taken the position of France,” the petition pointed out, “and in fact the video has received acceptance and acclaim worldwide, has attracted significant media coverage and an outstanding 7.2 million views on youtube alone and has received multiple international awards including 6 Cannes Lions at the prestigious Cannes Festival of Creativity in France.”

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