Being blind and being gay are different, but having a selfhood that others perceive as undesirable is identical. But our decisions to maximize health (however complicated a category that word may reference) and avoid illness (ditto) do not necessarily devalue those who are sick or otherwise different. My own battles with depression have contributed to a meaningful identity for me, but if I were choosing between a depression-prone child and one who would never suffer such ravages, I’d go with option B in a heartbeat. Even though the illness would probably become a locus of intimacy for us, I
...more
