Why surrogacy should be banned

[DomesticatedZombie]

• article from Stefanie Bode.

'It’s always harmful. It harms our health, it exploits our bodies; it’s dependent on global inequalities and makes them worse; it violates our dignity, our physical integrity and many others of our human rights. It is a form of slavery (of women and children), and obviously it’s violence against women and children. It makes babies into commodities. It’s very cruel and inhumane to women and babies to separate a baby from its mother. '

www.filia.org.uk/latest-news/2022/2/8/why-surrogacy-should-be-banned

I'm against all surrogacy.

I once made the mistake of uttering this opinion in real life...I was absolutely crucified because, you know, be kind and cute babies blah blah.

I was going to post in this thread. But the fact that there are posters on here Belle de Jouring an industry, which is in my eyes, even worse than prostitution, has left me feeling sickened within myself physically.

@ArabellaStrange

I was going to post in this thread. But the fact that there are posters on here Belle de Jouring an industry, which is in my eyes, even worse than prostitution, has left me feeling sickened within myself physically.

You're absolutely not alone in feeling sickened by it, and all feminist movements benefit from solidarity. The tide can be turned against surrogacy, and a huge amount of suffering can still be prevented.

I am in Ireland. Not a week goes by when there isn't a sad story of infertility in the newspaper that ends with a happy couple and a cute baby through surrogacy. It is a massive campaign to normalise it. Couples complain then about the legal situation they have created for these children because there is no legislation for surrogacy in Ireland. Yet they entered into these arrangements knowing this.

At the same time there has been huge national discussion about mother and baby homes and the forced removal and adoption of children in the past. And the need now for those children to know their past and the importance of identity. The cognitive dissonance is astounding.

There will be a reckoning in about 30 years. Another tribunal and wondering how we let this happen.

@Jacaranda75

What happened to ‘my body, my choice’?

That only applies when it comes to abortion.

That only applies when it comes to abortion.

Which is a massive grey area in surrogacy. The surrogate may be pressured to abort against her will or beliefs if the baby has congenital defects, or equally she may be prevented from aborting if the strain of pregnancy impacts her physical or mental health to a deleterious degree. It’s a particular problem where surrogacy is a commercial enterprise.

@TyrannysaurusXXrightshoarder

It is a form of slavery (of women and children) I’d never considered that tbh, but yes, if you’re buying human beings, I guess that’s the definition of slavery.

In times of slavery in America and the Caribbean slaves babies would be sold at birth. A nice profit for the master and a free wet nurse.

Now poor women are convinced to sell their babies and breast milk to richer couples and this is called a choice.

My how times change.

"Given the choice between being removed at birth, or never existing at all, I think most people would choose being removed at birth"

By that logic it would be ok to produce children to be slaves, or to have their organs harvested for transplants. As it would be better than not existing at all.

@HotPenguin

"Given the choice between being removed at birth, or never existing at all, I think most people would choose being removed at birth"

By that logic it would be ok to produce children to be slaves, or to have their organs harvested for transplants. As it would be better than not existing at all.

Yes, or conceiving children through rape. It's a terrible argument.

As for the child removed from its birth mother? That is sad yes, but the alternative for that particular child was otherwise to not exist at all.

Odd argument. If you didn't exist you wouldn't miss being alive!

Someone needs to read 'Never Let Me Go' or if that's beyond their capabilities, at least watch the film.

Another vote against surrogacy. It’s inhumane to remove a child at birth from it’s mother and treats a human being as a commodity. An utterly selfish act.

@Jacaranda75

What happened to ‘my body, my choice’?

That was a libfem catchphrase to convince women to do what men want under the guise of choice. It was a myth.

Surrogacy is all about the wants of adults with no consideration to the needs of the baby. That tells you everything you need to know.

That is sad yes, but the alternative for that particular child was otherwise to not exist at all.

Yes. And? Taken to its logical conclusion, that implies it is my obligation to get pregnant over and over again having kids I don't want and can't afford, because otherwise they won't exist!

I don't think "does a being get brought into existence that wouldn't otherwise" is a moral criterion that can justify all else.

Personally, I think I'd rather never be conceived at all than be a baby in a commercial surrogacy arrangement.

Also as underlined by the book previously mentioned by myself it would give rise to all sorts of evils, such as producing a child with the internet of using their health to support the health of a child in who is not healthy.
Sick and dystopian are the words that come to my mind.

what about families doing this to help infertile daughters? mother or sister etc? i'm not sure all surrogacy should be banned.

Agree wholeheartedly. It's the exploitation of vulnerable/naive/desperate women by entitled people who won't take no for an answer and are used to being able to buy whatever they want.

What happened to women being able to choose what they do with their bodies? No one campaigns against women wearing what they want to and doing what they want to.

What right do you or anyone have to say this? I think this thread is hypocritical to be honest and judgey AF

I'm 90% against surrogacy but have no qualms about a completely voluntary, unpaid offer of surrogacy to help a sister/friend/relative have a child. Obviously there is still risk but it's a very different scenario from paying for a birthing vessel.

@fallfallfall

what about families doing this to help infertile daughters? mother or sister etc? i'm not sure all surrogacy should be banned.

Risk of subtle/not so subtle family coercion or emotional blackmail. Could you really say no to your sister who's had cancer or your gay brother who'd make an amazing dad? You've had easy pregnancies after all! The more this becomes the norm, the more women will be expected to put aside their - completely understandable - qualms, "be kind" and selflessly offer up their wombs. No matter what the physical or psychological costs to themselves.

Hypothetical "you" to clarify

It reduces all women to the status of breeders and babies to commodities.
It's an offence against the human dignity of women and babies.

If it's "judgey AF" to be opposed to buying and selling humans, then guilty as charged.

I don't see the issue of removing a child from its birth mother, when the child will be placed in the care of loving parents.

I have twins. At birth, one twin had a low birth weight, so went to the HDU. She seemed oblivious that she was separated from me, and happily took her milk from the nurses in the HDU. Since I had a c-section, my birth partner fed the other twin. Again, he didn't seem to care if he was held by me or my birth partner.
I really feel if I had died giving birth, my babies would have been perfectly happy in the care of my loving family and would not have felt my loss.
I feel the same about surrogate babies, who are immediately placed with loving surrogate parents.