'I can't get married or I'll lose my healthcare': Woman who has Down syndrome highlights the shocking discrimination she faces as a result of her condition in viral TikTok video

  • In an eye-opening clip posted by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), she lists all the things that make living in the U.S. difficult for her 
  • Many viewers were outraged to learn that people with Down syndrome can get paid subminimum wage for the work they perform  
  • They also lose their healthcare and financial support if they get married and face discrimination on organ transplant lists
  • The video has been viewed more than 2.8 million times on TikTok alone and has also been shared on Twitter  

By ERICA TEMPESTA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

A woman who has Down syndrome has highlighted the shocking discrimination she faces as a result of her condition.  

In an eye-opening TikTok video posted by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), she lists all the things that make living in the U.S. difficult for her that have nothing to do with the genetic disorder. 

The informative clip has been viewed millions of times, and many people were outraged to learn that people with Down syndrome can get paid subminimum wage for the work they perform.  

Educational: A woman who has Down syndrome has highlighted the discrimination she faces in the U.S. — including subminimum wage — in an eye-opening TikTok video

Educational: A woman who has Down syndrome has highlighted the discrimination she faces in the U.S. — including subminimum wage — in an eye-opening TikTok video 

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), individuals with a physical or mental disability earn rates below minimum wage.  

NDSS is working at the state level to pass bills to phase out the payment of subminimum wage, according to its website, but it still exists in most states.  

People were also heartbroken to learn that many people with Down syndrome can't get married because it will affect their Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid healthcare coverage.

'I can't get married or I'll lose my healthcare and supports,' the woman explained, adding: 'I can be denied an organ transplant just because someone thinks less of me.'

Awful: In the clip posted by the National Down Syndrome Society, she shared that people who have Down syndrome lose their healthcare and support if they get married

Awful: In the clip posted by the National Down Syndrome Society, she shared that people who have Down syndrome lose their healthcare and support if they get married 

Hard to handle: She also pointed out that face discrimination on organ transplant lists and references the tragic death of Ethan Saylor
Hard to handle: She also pointed out that face discrimination on organ transplant lists and references the tragic death of Ethan Saylor

Hard to handle: She also pointed out that face discrimination on organ transplant lists and references the tragic death of Ethan Saylor 

Eye-opening: The video has also been shared on Twitter, and many people admitted they didn't know any of these things

Eye-opening: The video has also been shared on Twitter, and many people admitted they didn't know any of these things 

NDSS reports that people with physical and intellectual disabilities face discrimination on organ transplant lists, despite federal protection.  

At the end of the video, she recalled the death of Robert 'Ethan' Saylor, a 26-year-old with Down syndrome who died of asphyxia in 2013 after three off-duty sheriff's deputies tried to forcibly remove him from a movie theater. 

She noted that 'tragedies like the death of Ethan Saylor' occur 'because most law enforcement officers aren't trained to work with people with Down syndrome or other disabilities.'

The video has been viewed more than 2.8 million times on TikTok, and many people thanked the NDSS for creating the educational clip. 

Spreading the word: Twitter users were outraged by what they learned and demanded change

Spreading the word: Twitter users were outraged by what they learned and demanded change 

'I didn't know any of this. Thanks for spreading awareness,' one person wrote. 

'Thank you so much for raising these points, I had actually no idea that this was a problem, and this is so problematic,' another commented. 

One fan posted the video on Twitter, where it has been viewed another two million times and sparked outrage.  

'I don't understand. What makes them less deserving of basic decency? I don't get it,' one person tweeted, while another responded: 'America never fails to disgust me.' 

What is Down's Syndrome

Down's syndrome is a genetic condition that typically causes some degree of learning disability and certain physical characteristics.

Symptoms include:

  • Floppiness at birth
  • Eyes that slant down and out
  • A small mouth
  • A flat back of head

Screening tests can uncover Down's syndrome during pregnancy but are not completely accurate.

It is caused by an extra chromosome in a baby's cell due to a genetic change in the sperm or egg.

The chance of this increases according to the age of the mother.

A 20-year-old woman has around a one in 1,500 chance of having a baby with Down's syndrome.

Women in their 40s have a one in 100 chance.

There is no evidence women can reduce their chances of having a child with Down's syndrome.

Down's syndrome does not have a cure.

Treatment focuses on supporting the patient's development. 

People with Down's syndrome have more chance of health complications such as heart disorders, hearing problems, thyroid issues and recurrent infections.

Source: NHS Choices 

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