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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

New Scientist happy to see mothers eliminated in future

37 replies

Teribus21 · 25/04/2026 10:29

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485396-mice-with-two-fathers-have-their-own-offspring-for-the-first-time/
New Scientist has reported that scientists in China have produced mice with two genetic fathers by putting two sperm into an “empty” egg (one in which the nucleus has been removed).The article points out it’s a long way off being possible for humans. So far, so typical of scientists who abrogate any sort of moral responsibility for their discoveries. We’ve seen it many times before, most notably the nuclear bomb.

What shocked me was the gleeful New Scientist leader which is clearly thrilled by this discovery and and justifies their delight by saying: “For some people, the thought of a child with two genetic fathers will never be acceptable, just as there are still those who decry gay adoption.”

It goes on to say:

“While IVF children are conceived via a process our ancestors could never imagine, they still continue a genetic lineage of every person having one male progenitor and one female. Does this matter? Quite possibly not, what was once front page news as with IVF could become run of the mill. But in an era when the US is seeking to curtail reproductive and transgender rights, having an open discussion will be the bigger challenge.”

So if you’re at all concerned about the potential elimination of women in reproduction and a human race entirely composed of male genetic material, you’re an anti abortion, homophobic, transphobic Trump supporter according to the women haters at New Scientist. We know who is seeking to prevent rational debate.

Mice with two fathers have their own offspring for the first time

We're a step closer to two men being able to have genetic children of their own after the creation of fertile mice by putting two sperm cells in an empty egg

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485396-mice-with-two-fathers-have-their-own-offspring-for-the-first-time/

OP posts:
RawBloomers · Yesterday 05:48

“For some people, the thought of a child with two genetic fathers will never be acceptable, just as there are still those who decry gay adoption.”
and
"But in an era when the US is seeking to curtail reproductive and transgender rights, having an open discussion will be the bigger challenge.”

These are just really weird things to bring up in the context of the science. This is happening in China - where gay men are not entitled to adopt, you have to have gender reassignment surgery to be allowed to change your sex on your driving license and can still be discriminated against and recently, for the first time since the 1950s, China has started to restrict abortion access.

It does sound like they are just trying to shoehorn a culture war discussion that they haven't even really thought through into a report on breakthrough science.

Shortshriftandlethal · Yesterday 08:56

There has been a lot of pushing of the concept of two men, or even single men, adopting and/or using surrogates recently. Taking the concept of 'equality' to its most extreme and dystopian ends. The darker and ethically questionable sides of transhumanism.

catipuss · Yesterday 09:00

And it works (if it ever works) both ways there could equally be two mother's and at least they have the most important bits of equipment a womb each.

Shortshriftandlethal · Yesterday 09:00

There has to be an element in all of this - of the way that motherhood/female biology has been denigrated in recent decades; has been seen as an oppressive construct foisted upon female people, from which they long to escape.

Spaghettea · Yesterday 09:02

I'm sure there's a they/them person who writes for NS. They're probably all a bit captured and trying to "be kind" 🙄.

theilltemperedamateur · Yesterday 11:38

WhatterySquash · 25/04/2026 23:50

I wonder if they gave the newborn baby mouse to its two dads to look after.

Also if a baby with (mostly) genetic material from two males through this process is always male? Don’t know enough about genetics to be sure.

They can be either sex.

X and Y chromosomes undergo only limited recombination, which is why Y chromosomes can be tracked through multiple male generations.

So, as far as the XX and the XY are concerned, genetically, it's like one grandmother reproduced with the other grandfather.

(The other 22 chromosome pairs are equally related to all four grandparents, and the mitochondria, which can be tracked through multiple previous female generations, come from the extranuclear part of the egg.)

ThatFairy · Yesterday 11:59

WhatterySquash · 25/04/2026 23:50

I wonder if they gave the newborn baby mouse to its two dads to look after.

Also if a baby with (mostly) genetic material from two males through this process is always male? Don’t know enough about genetics to be sure.

They probably killed it.

WhatterySquash · Yesterday 12:07

theilltemperedamateur · Yesterday 11:38

They can be either sex.

X and Y chromosomes undergo only limited recombination, which is why Y chromosomes can be tracked through multiple male generations.

So, as far as the XX and the XY are concerned, genetically, it's like one grandmother reproduced with the other grandfather.

(The other 22 chromosome pairs are equally related to all four grandparents, and the mitochondria, which can be tracked through multiple previous female generations, come from the extranuclear part of the egg.)

Then can a YY baby occur and what happens then?

Would they be “designing” the offspring by selecting the gene combinations so that wouldn’t happen?

theilltemperedamateur · Yesterday 12:13

WhatterySquash · Yesterday 12:07

Then can a YY baby occur and what happens then?

Would they be “designing” the offspring by selecting the gene combinations so that wouldn’t happen?

From the article:

.... combining two sperm cells means a quarter of the embryos had two Y chromosomes and wouldn’t have developed far.....

It cant develop without at least one X chromosome.

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · Yesterday 12:58

FWIW I cancelled my subscription to new scientist because in their language and especially in their podcast they were unable to clearly talk about male and female differences in humans and had a clear political line to lead which I found to be incompatible with a science publication. I did tell them about it when I quit.

Fimofriend · Yesterday 14:21

nicepotoftea · 25/04/2026 18:03

Quite possibly not, what was once front page news as with IVF could become run of the mill.

IVF is not 'run of the mill'. It is very, very expensive, not accessible to all and only has limited success.

All types of pregnancy only have limited success. It is approximately one fifth of all pregnancies that ends as a miscarriage.

IVF is extremely successful when the mum is below 35 years old.

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · Yesterday 18:12

Fimofriend · Yesterday 14:21

All types of pregnancy only have limited success. It is approximately one fifth of all pregnancies that ends as a miscarriage.

IVF is extremely successful when the mum is below 35 years old.

30-40% per cycle leading to a live birth doesn’t sound very successful to me

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