An Online Conversation on Disability Justice and Human Genetic Engineering

A webinar on disability, bioethics, and human genetic engineering: Monday April 24th 1-2:30 p.m. PT / 4-5:30 p.m. ET / 9-10:30 p.m. GMT

The following event was originally scheduled for February but was postponed due to an unfortunate "update" in the webinar platform which created accessibility barriers. We are pleased to announce that it is now rescheduled & registration is open!

New gene editing technologies could offer heightened control of the genes we pass on to our children. Their use for human reproduction would affect everyone, but the stakes are particularly high for people with disabilities, given the history of using technological developments to “get rid of” certain diseases and “fix” people with disabilities. While the disability community has been deeply engaged with end-of-life issues and prenatal genetic screening, we have had little discussion of the powerful new gene editing technologies that could alter future generations and societies, as well as cultural understandings of difference, health, and disability.

This accessible webinar will explore different perspectives on these new technologies and the ways that they may pose a threat to disabled people and disability justice.

With speakers:

Anita Cameron, Disability Rights Activist and Writer/Blogger

Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, professor of English, disability studies and bioethics

Mia Mingus, disability and transformative justice organizer

Tom Shakespeare, sociologist and bioethicist

Register here: http://bit.ly/2nZUxKF

Welcome by Alice Wong

Moderated by Emily Smith Beitiks

Brief introductory presentation by Marcy Darnovsky

Conversation with a panel of speakers

Your questions and comments

Accessibility: The webinar will have live captioning, and presenter slides will be audio described during the webinar. If you have any additional accommodations requests, please follow the registration link to let us know by 4/10.

Sponsored by

Center for Genetics and Society

Disability Visibility Project™

DREDF (Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund)

Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability

Register here: http://bit.ly/2nZUxKF

Resources

• Background information, perspectives, and media on human genetic engineering Center for Genetics and Society resource page on human gene editing for reproduction
• Human gene editing: a timeline of CRISPR cover stories
• 5 reasons why we need people with disabilities in the CRISPR debates by Emily Beitiks