Does surrogacy turn women into "reproductive vessels? " Does it liberate women to use their body as they choose, or are women becoming pawns in a scientific experiment? In the essay, Surrogate Motherhood: The Challenge for Feminists, the author, Lori B. Andrews, looks at the conflicting issues of female empowerment and females as slaves to the male dominated contemporary society. Among feminists there is no consensus as to if surrogacy is empowering or demeaning to women. The author argues, albeit not consistently, that opposing surrogacy is counter to many feminist platforms and by removing the right from the woman to bear a child and give it up, greater feminist stances will be undermined.
[...] At a scientific level, technology has advanced so that women can be permitted full care. She can be assured that her own health will be protected and she can demand the terms over which her body is used, how many times she can house a fetus and what care she can expect to ensure a safe and easy pregnancy. Further, surrogacy permits the woman to be anonymous or known. Surrogacy should be a clear issue, one which feminists should unequivocally support. [...]
[...] We do not need to understand motherhood as the only job for a woman.[9] Assuming that women should be protected, that is that they should be told that surrogacy is damaging to their emotional well being or that giving up a child makes them something less than whole, is more damaging to women, in the collective, than permitting women to bear and give up a child. The root of the problem, the reason that women and men who define themselves as feminists cannot agree on a stance to take regarding surrogacy, is that not all feminists hold collective views on all issues. [...]
[...] Of course, in situations where women are taken advantage of, forced into surrogacy, or coerced into bearing a child with promise of monetary compensation there is a natural cause for concern. In all other cases the power lies with the woman. Further, most surrogacy agreements only pay the birth mother if a child is delivered and can be adopted by the new family, that is, she does not get paid if she miscarries, or if the baby dies during childbirth. [...]
[...] Hanson, F. Allen. “Donor Insemination: Eugenic and Feminist Implications.” Medical Anthropology Quarterly, New Series, Vol No (Sep., 2001), pp. 287-311. Hill, John Lawrence. Case for Enforcement of the Surrogate Contract.” Politics and the Life Sciences, Vol No The Politics of Surrogacy Contracts (Feb., 1990), pp. 147-160. Merrick, Janna, C. “Selling Reproductive Rights: Policy Issues in Surrogate Motherhood.” Politics and Life Sciences, Vol No The Politics of Surrogacy Contracts (Feb., 1990), pp. 161-172. Nelson, Hilde Lindemann, Nelson, James Lindemann. “Cutting Motherhood in Two: Some Suspicions concerning Surrogacy.” Hypatia. [...]
[...] Often (whether it is a personal choice or that their rights are not clearly articulated to them,) women are without the support system of a new family, as she has given away her child. This should be a greater cause for concern for feminist activists. All women who have given birth are due the same treatment to ensure their bodies fully recover from the grueling process of childbirth and that their emotional state is effectively handled. It is difficult to argue against surrogacy, as a woman's right to choose and for abortion rights, as a woman's right to choose. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
