[prairiebreeze]

A documentary I watched asserted that Joe was concerned that as Rosemary grew older she would become sexually active and would cause the family embarassment if she became pregnant. The lobotomy procedure was in it's early stages and Joe was convinced by the doctors (according to the documentary) this was a proper way to handle his concerns. Not much was known about it's effects or possible horrific outcomes. Supposedly the way Rosemary turned out afterward wasn't what the family was expecting.


Prairie

[DoughtyOne]

I'm not sure what balderdash the program was trying to pass off, but women housed in programs for demished capacity are generally given birth control as a matter of precedure.

[Mo1]

Supposedly the way Rosemary turned out afterward wasn't what the family was expecting.

Only thing is .. Joe never told the family, not even his wife what he planned to do.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Re: Rosemary

What ever happened to the story that came out after Rose's death, that Rosemary was in fact very normal? Was that bogus? Hard to tell with the Kennedys.

Anyway, Rose's secretary supposedly came across a journal written by Rosemary. The journal detailed a trip to Europe Rosemary went on as a teenager. The secretary claimed that the girl couldn't have been retarded, because of the writing in the journal, and that Rosemary had gone on this trip with another friend or relative, IOW independently.

She claimed that Rosemary was likely lobotomized because she was a wild child, and Joe couldn't have that. He wanted to mellow her out but it got botched. Maybe that explains the pregnancy concerns, or that Joe simply didn't want to deal with a daughter who acted like him or the boys.