This Down syndrome campaign is fan-f*cking-tastic

“You can say almost anything, like ‘holy sh*t!’ 'You just had a baby!’ ‘Sh*t, yeah!’ ‘Congratu-f*cking-lations!'” That's how a provocative new PSA on what to say to parents who just had a baby with Down syndrome begins.

Produced by the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, the video stars young adults with Down syndrome. The actors deliver a stream of tongue-in-cheek lines about sh*tty diapers and squeezing humans out of vaginas—and most are loaded with congratulatory swears fitting for the occasion. “The only bad word is ‘sorry,’” they conclude. “Because every baby deserves a warm f*cking welcome."

This year, 9,363 babies in North America were born with Down syndrome. The Canadian Down Syndrome Society created this PSA because many parents of kids with Down syndrome report having felt devastated that everyone from family members to midwives and doctors failed to congratulate them on their new arrivals. Instead, people used the S word.

It’s not always easy to know how to react to the birth of a child with exceptionalities. In fact, one of the most Googled questions around Down syndrome is: “What do you say to parents who have a baby with Down syndrome?” Fortunately, the Canadian Down Syndrome Society's #AnythingButSorry campaign suggests plenty of options.

What a fan-f*cking-tastic initiative!

Read more:
Why kids with special needs are so important to Fred Penner The gifts of a child with Down syndrome