A tattoo trend from the United States has reached Norway, to show people who have Down’s syndrome. In Florø in Vestland, parents, friends and a grandmother got tattoos in September, ahead of a wedding. A total of 12 people got tattoos in honor of five-year-old Ulrik (5), who has Down syndrome. Ulrik is not yet too busy with the tattoos, but in a few years the parents will tell more. Photo: Lisa Giil Photography For most of them it is the first tattoo they have had, and probably the only tattoo they will have. – It is a tattoo that shows that we are one of the lucky few who have someone we care about, who has Down’s syndrome, says mother Marion Svarstad Melstveit. – He is very lively and mostly in a very good mood. He is a bright spot for us, says his father Svenn Svarstad Melstveit. The tattoo shows three arrows, as a symbol of an extra copy of chromosome 21. Both mother and father have had the tattoo, shaped like an arrow with an extra chromosome 21. In the technical language it is called trisomy 21. Photo: Privat When news meets the family in Florø Ulrik is mostly busy fooling around and playing outside, but the parents have plans to tell more about the tattoos when he grows up. They want him to know that he has a large flock that cares about him. – I think he thinks it’s cool. And that he will be proud of it, says Marion. The family in Florø is grateful for everyday life with Ulrik, and believes that the tattoos can be a way to spread knowledge. Photo: Nikolai Akse Helgås / news What started with the parents and fiancés wanting to get tattoos before the wedding, as a gesture to Ulrik, spread to the fact that relatives of the bride and groom also wanted to do the same. Plus grandma. Displaying tattoos on the internet The trend – “The Lucky Few” – has taken off in various social media. The goal is more visibility and acceptance at a time when it is easier to opt out of fetuses with Down’s syndrome. Many people post pictures of their tattoos on the internet to show that they know someone with Down’s syndrome. That they are one of “the lucky few” – the lucky few. Photo: Screenshot from Facebook In Denmark, a marked decrease in live births with Down’s syndrome has been seen after all pregnant women were offered fetal diagnostics from 2004. In Norway, the Biotechnology Act was amended in 2020. Afterwards, it has become easier to detect whether a fetus has Down’s syndrome early in pregnancy. About 90 percent of parents in Norway opt for an abortion if the diagnosis of Down’s syndrome is made during pregnancy. This is shown by calculations the Medical Birth Register has made for Faktisk.no. Marion Svarstad Melstveit believes that the tattoo can be an entry point to show what it is like to have a child with Down’s syndrome. People start asking about the tattoo, which in turn leads to good conversations. – It makes it easier to spread knowledge about Downs. A signal is given: Ask me. I know one and care about one. Ulrik (5) didn’t mind being the center of attention when his parents got married. Photo: Lisa Giil Photography Need for knowledge In 2017, she wrote a reader’s post in BT that she is glad that she did not know that Ulrik had Down’s syndrome during the pregnancy. It was only discovered after birth. “That others don’t want a child like ours is a bit painful”, she wrote at the time. She thus did not have to make the choice that others face when they are notified early in their pregnancy. – That choice is difficult. It was a shock when we found out, but after two days the protector instinct kicked in. And when we see what we have today: It is not a problem for us to have a child with Downs. She says it is important that more people share stories on the internet, so that those in an election situation also gain knowledge about everyday life. In this respect, she believes that “The Lucky few” movement has been an important door-opener for spreading more knowledge. Ulrik is not too busy with the tattoos yet, but his parents plan to tell more when he gets older. Photo: Nikolai Akse Helgås / news Positive towards the tattoos Hedvig Ekberg of the Norwegian Association for Developmentally Handicapped (NFU) calls the tattoos “a nice gesture”. The general secretary says it’s nice to see that “this is something you can pay tribute to, and not be sorry for or be sad about”. – To a large extent, we see that it is parents, siblings and grandparents who get involved. That there are also people beyond this circle who show that they are committed and care is very nice to hear about. Hedvig Ekberg from NFU calls the tattoos “a nice gesture”. The Secretary-General is positive that more people are sharing knowledge about what it is like to live with someone with Down syndrome. Photo: NFU The NFU clarifies that they never give advice on whether an individual should have an abortion or not. But they say that some are fighting hard for the child to get the help they need. – Many tell us that it is not having a child with additional needs that is the worst, but the fight against the system – and especially the municipalities.
ttn-69
Tattooing trend takes off – to provide support for people with Down’s – news Vestland
