Although it seems like a problem we should have put to bed long ago, it remains true that some people can find themselves marginalized to a degree since the day they were born.
And it wasn't so long ago that this was particularly true for those living with Down syndrome, as the condition could lead to a lifetime of being ignored or underestimated.
But of course, society is always in the process of changing. And in recent years, those changes have not only seen more opportunities for those with Down syndrome to rise to prominence, but also to challenge widespread assumptions about what they're capable of.
Although that doesn't mean we're at a point where their lives are suddenly easy, these developments do provide some context for one mom's affirming reaction to her son's surprise diagnosis.