World Down Syndrome Day: “Let us love”

“Leave us the space (and the right) to love”. How many times have we heard people with Down syndrome described as “eternal children”? So many. Because it is one of the clichés that women and men with Down syndrome are most often confronted with. For this reason, on the occasion of the World Down Syndrome Day (World Down Syndrome Day) which is celebrated on March 21, CoorDowncoordination of associations of people with Down syndrome, launched the international awareness campaign Just the two of us. With a clear message: we leave these people the opportunity to love each other.

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The video «Just the two of us», for the CoorDown campaign

Ironically, the campaign born from the collaboration of CoorDown with Luca Lorenzini and Luca Pannese, now executive creative directors of the agency SMALL of New York, tells of the often exaggerated intrusion of families into the daily lives of people with Down syndrome. How does it happen to Kenya Koene And Liam de Waeleprotagonists of the video directed by Martin Romanella and Augusto Gimenez Zapiola which shows how in every important moment Kenya and Liam find themselves forced to share it with their respective families: from the marriage proposal to the first wedding night.

Sexuality is certainly an uncomfortable subject, covered by taboos that have deep cultural roots, but at the same time it is a theme that, representing people with Down syndrome, we wanted to address becauseit is not only the recognition of a right, but also the recognition of a need“, explains Antonella Falugiani, President of CoorDown ODV. «There are several barriers, more or less evident, which prevent the sexual and emotional development of people with intellectual disabilities and therefore limit their psycho-physical well-being and it is time to try to break them down. People with Down syndrome are neither “sexless angels” nor “demons” unable to manage their impulses ».

It’s all in the simple words of Nicolò and Paola, respectively 25 and 22 years old, in a couple of 7. «I don’t know what love is, but I know how to love. I would like a house by the sea for me and for Paola », says Nicolò. “For my future I want to be together with Nico,” adds Paola. “I want to get married when I grow up. There is a bit of effort now because there is always someone with us, we are not alone enough“.

Other stories of Vanity Fair that may interest you:

-Sofìa Jirau, the first Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome

-Valerio, born with Down syndrome, saves a little girl and becomes an honorary policeman

Source: Vanity Fair

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