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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the U.S each year. Although the outlook for people with this condition has improved drastically over the last few decades, the assumptions around what they can and can't do continue to hamper their quality of life. To challenge these ideas, Coor Down, an Italian Down syndrome organization, launched a campaign titled “Assume That I Can” ahead of World Down Syndrome Awareness Day.
The pillar of this campaign is an ad starring Canadian actress Madison Tevlin. In the video, the 22-year-old addresses the camera, asking people in her life, from a bartender to her own parents, why they think she can't do certain things, like ordering a margarita or learning Shakespeare.
“Your assumption becomes reality,” Tevlin says, before exemplifying how. As an example, she posits that if her boxing coach assumes she can't hit harder, he won't train her to hit harder, and ultimately she won't hit harder—a vision that drips down to all other aspects of herself, and furthers the infantilization of people with Down syndrome.
“But hey!” she later interjects. “If your assumptions become reality, then assume I can drink a margarita. So you serve me a margarita, so I drink a margarita.” She goes on to list other activities like living on her own, having a job, and having sex. “Assume that I can, so maybe I will,” the spot concludes.
According to the National Down Syndrome Society, all people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is “mild to moderate” and not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses. They write, “People with Down syndrome attend school, work, participate in decisions that affect them, have meaningful relationships, vote, and contribute to society in many wonderful ways.”
Aiming to spotlight all the things people with Down syndrome can do, Coor Down also created shorter spots they've been sharing on Instagram. The clips show people with Down syndrome performing a myriad of activities, from surfing to running their own businesses. “This campaign was also born from listening to the people we represent,” says Antonella Falugiani, president of CoorDown ODV. “15 years after the ratification of the UN convention, their stories and experiences highlight how many prejudices and preconceptions limit and, sometimes, prevent people with Down syndrome from asserting themselves and achieving their dreams.”
Tevlin herself knows how these assumptions can hurt, having dealt with them her whole life. “When I was born, the doctor told my mom and dad that life would be really hard for me, saying that I can’t talk, or walk, or dance, or model, or act—or drinking or getting married—any of this stuff that’s part of normal life, and it’s so much fun proving people wrong.” she told CNN. “I always say that I have Down syndrome, and it’s the least interesting thing about me. The part of who I am, well it’s not all of me. We should all celebrate our differences in our own special and unique ways.”
To challenge the ideas around people with Down syndrome, Coor Down launched a campaign titled “Assume That I Can” ahead of World Down Syndrome Awareness Day.
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The pillar of the campaign is a now-viral ad that stars 22-year-old Canadian actress Madison Tevlin.
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Aiming to spotlight all the things people with Down syndrome can do, Coor Down also spotlights people performing a myriad of activities, from surfing to running their own businesess.
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CoorDown: Website | Instagram
h/t: [CNN]
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