International Surrogacy: It's Happening

Call me naive, but until I read Judith Warner's 1.3.08 Domestic Disturbances blog post in the NYT, Outsourced Wombs, I was not fully aware of the practice of hiring international surrogates.  Here in the U.S., yes.  I know people who have hired surrogates, but no-one who has been one.  I know the whole concept of surrogacy gets people pretty riled up, but this adds a whole slew of controversial components.  Did you see the article?  Wow.  The picture of all those surrogates lined up in a row makes quite an impression.

Never one to shy away from stating it how she sees it, however controversial, Ms. Warner likens the practice to the Handmaid's Tale and Brave New World.  My, my. 

We have a lot of policy improvement to take on here in our very own country, so I'm not cooking up any "action opportunities" on this one.  Nope.  Not surprisingly, I don't exactly feel empowered to sort this one out - especially since I'm still working on what I really think of all this (kind of hard to process!).  But it does make me wonder what's going on in the realm of assisting women in third-world countries.  One interesting place to start is the U.N. Development Fund for Women.  Know of others worth sharing? 

Comments

[Megan Sainsbury]

Regarding surrogacy in the USA and India.

Fertile women should not make judgements about alternative family creation without being in the infertile woman's shoes.

Women who have never been given the opportunity to be a surrogate for another woman should also refrain from comment until they meet someone who cares so much about family creatio and care of her sisters that she would actually give up her time and body for a whole pregnancy.

Before you start a rucuss about how dreadful surrogacy is both in the USA and India (also Ukraine and Guatemala have programs) do some research - from the surrogate's point of view.

Surrogacy is nothing like a Handmaid's Tale. The NYT blog writer Warner showed only bias and lack of research in her one-sided silly diatribes you mention above. She had the whole - and very large and vocal - US surrogacy community wanting to give her a good slap on the butt for her ignorance.

Please don't perpetuate ignorance here. Do some research first.

[Lisa]

Thank you for your perspective. I agree that it is difficult to pass judgment without having been in the shoes, but of course it's hard to reserve judgment on every issue unless you're in the shoes. That said, our intent was not at all to raise a ruccus, but rather to note this occurrence and discuss. Many of us are well aware of Ms. Warner's style and history! By linking to her article we are not supporting her position. This is a forum for folks to discuss family-related issues and form their own opinions and action ideas. Again, thanks for broadening the dialog, that is our goal here. Readers truly add much of the information, inspiration, and connection we hope to put forth.

[Lisa]

One other thought: If you are posting from outside the United States, it would be helpful to know that. It gives important context to opinions. Thanks!

[ProtestMama]

I knew a surrogate. We were pregnant at the same time. She seemed kinda sad, even though it was the second time she'd done it. She had no children of her "own" and one of the agreemtns in befriending her wa that she wanted absolutely no talk about pregnancy, hers or anyone else's.

Peopel very close to me have struggled with fertility. I have never been a fertile myrtle myself, I have a single child, not for lack of trying many years ago.

I still have issues with international adoption and international surrogacy especially with the power differential created by American consumerism around the world.

The late Allison Crews, wrote a powerful essay "When I was Garbage" about her experience as a teenaged, white, middle class pregnant teen being disempowered by the adoption process. I didn't agree with everythng in it, but it does make me wonder and worry about those less empowered than she was.

Many loved ones have started their families all different kinds of ways. And I don't think that means that we stop questioning situations that may involve inequities.

Some folks (including me for a time) feel that I should given my planned child to an adoptive home once my partner and I split.

[LTF]

More on this from the NYT - incredibly complicated circumsatances at play, but very surely a discrepancy between rich and poor: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/world/asia/10surrogate.html?ex=1362888000&en=0700b6f1e10877fb&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink