The Sydney University Catholic Society has apologised for asking people to vote about whether or not “disabled people are a burden on society”, a stunt which was supposed to lay the groundwork for anti-abortion discussions later in the week.
The A-frame sign, which asked people walking down Eastern Ave (the main thoroughfare of the campus) to vote either “yes” or “no”, was eventually removed on Monday after students called out the Catholic Society over its offensive, provocative and unnecessary ploy.
“The intention of this particular question was to invite students to think critically about current and proposed laws and practices (such as genetic screening, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, abortion till birth and state-sanctioned assisted suicide) which are often justified on the basis of avoiding illness or disabilities, and so demonstrate an ableist attitude towards human life,” the Catholic Society said in a follow-up statement.
“We had hoped this question would prompt students to consider and critique the broad support these laws and practices receive in government, academia, the medical profession and the community more broadly, and regret that this did not occur.”
However USyd Disabilities Officer Margot Beavon-Collin told student newspaper Honi Soit that the placard was “callous and disgusting”.
“Disabled people are routinely used as props in other people’s campaigns. Regardless of the intentions behind the stunt, it was poorly thought out and ultimately harmful,” she said.
“There are so many disabled students on campus, and passing signs asking students to weigh in on the worth of your existence is incredibly confronting.”
Plenty of other students agreed.
On Facebook, the Catholic Society’s posts were bombarded with comments ranging from confusion to disgust.
“This is a damning indictment and an absolute stain on the Catholic faith. How dare you posture and put disabled people up for pseudo-intellectual debate? That is just plain sophistry,” wrote one person.
One disabled person added: “Gee, I’m glad to know that despite you guys opening up a debate on whether or not I’m a burden on society, you believe in my fundamental dignity as a human being!! ✨ No hate like Christian love.”
People couldn’t understand why the lives and dignity of people with disabilities were being used for cheap point-scoring in the abortion debate.
“Many of us would be aware of prominent intellectuals who would assert that disabled people are a burden,” the society added.
“As Catholics, we believe in the fundamental dignity of every human life and the invaluable contribution of every member of society, including those living with a disability.”
The good news is that, according to the Catholic Society, nobody voted yes. The bad news is that this fucken disgrace of a poll even existed in the first place.
