Feminist Criticism of Genetic Counselling in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

Genetic counselling, a term coined by Sheldon Reed in 1947, was originally defined as a kind of genetic social work. Both parties to counselling sessions are usually women. Yet the socially oriented definition of genetic counselling and its feminine nature did not prevent the discipline from attracting significant feminist criticism. Feminist critics of genetic counselling regard it, first, as being complementary to reproductive technology. Women’s reproductive rights groups argue that genetic counselling is defined as medical therapy aimed at alleviating human suffering whereas in fact it becomes a means of social control, especially over women. Another group of critics is disability rights advocates. They argue, in relation to the social model of disability, that genetic counsellors play an important role in the relationship between the disabled community and nondisabled society because their own moral perspectives and biases regarding disability affect decisions regarding prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy terminations. Thus, they contribute to the construction of the disabled community as people whose lives are not worth living. Thirdly, contemporary feminists focus on the genetic counselling session itself, questioning the assumptions of individual choice and shared decision making. Much of this criticism ignores the main conceptual framework of genetic counselling. The core values of genetic counselling have been designed to help women counselees make a personal decision in keeping with their moral principles and beliefs and thus truly empower them. Accordingly, this chapter concludes that genetic counselling should be encouraged rather than be criticised by feminists.