04. Interview: December 2009 Archives

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

As seen by developments in recent years such as the enactment of the Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Law, there is a growing social awareness about developmental disabilities. Nevertheless, stereotypes of the developmentally disabled as being inflexible, stubborn, or incapable of meaningful communication still prevail. Satsuki Ayaya is co-author of Hattatsu shougai toujisha kenkyuu (A Study of Developmental Disabilities based on Personal Experience), which realistically depicts the problems faced by the developmentally disabled from a personal perspective.
Ayaya has also recently published Zenryaku, rikon o kimemashita (Honey I'm Filing for Divorce; 2009), a book about her marital experience as a victim of domestic violence and her road to divorce. Read on and find out how Ayaya survived domestic violence and learned to live with her developmental disability.
(CGS Editor)

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter. The full Japanese version of this discussion can be viewed on here.】

In June, 2009, former Sumposion (LGBIT* student club) members held a roundtable talk on how we could improve the quality of life at ICU.

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter. The full Japanese version of this discussion can be viewed on here.】

******************
Ms. Sakai's project is called ICRSU (ICU Child-Rearing Support Union).
e-mail---> icrsu.since2009@gmail.com
URL---> http://groups.google.co.jp/group/ICRSU
******************

In June, 2009, a roundtable talk was held to commemorate the start of the Child Care Center Project, a student initiative to build a day-care facility at ICU.

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is a serious neurodegenerative disease which affects nerves cells in the brain that are responsible for controlling muscle movement. As yet, there is no effective treatment for this progressive disease, which means the patient's condition increasingly worsens. Patients eventually develop paralysis in their respiratory muscles and find it difficult to breathe. Without medical assistance, they will most likely die. Currently, the only option for survival is mechanical ventilation. But less than 30% of patients diagnosed with ALS choose to use ventilators. Female patients are particularly reluctant. In the following text based on a conversation with Ms. Yumiko Kawaguchi, who is involved with two Tokyo-based nursing organizations, let's take a look at the significance of these statistical figures. CGS Editor

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

Chico Masak (CGS staff, CM): What would you say your stand on pornography is?
Prof. Chalidaporn (SC): I think we should look at pornography as a form of sexual fantasy, which each individual should have the right in their private time to enjoy. But the problem is, when you look at pornography in detail, you'll see complex relationships between pornography and so many other things. And pornography itself is so diverse. So it is very difficult to have a stand on it. Instead, you have to look at particular cases and details. You'll probably have a different stand on each one. We tend to want some kind of theory or explanation to which all similar cases can be reduced. But it doesn't work that way. We have to be very specific with everything.