Visit Dispatch Online. Visit the Weekend Post 18 May 2012 | Bookmark The Herald

View All Blogs Register Login
Hot Spots

Going Native
Going Native
News from Port Elizabeth
News from Port Elizabeth
News from Jeffreys Bay
News from Jeffreys Bay
News from Port Alfred
News from Port Alfred
La Femme
La Femme
Job Zone
Job Zone
Business Directory
Business Directory
Blogs @ The Herald  /  Going Native
 
Posted : 03 November 2011

Sperm donation, surrogacy motherhood.....we've been having it

 Category: Civil Society
This article was first published on March 28 and is republished here due forced migration.

When at first I read Leizel Eykelhol’s article; “Fathers anonymous” in The Times (March 28, 2011) I was thoroughly convinced that sperm donation has got be one of the most morally bankrupt activities man can engage in. And it seemed fairly simple to rationalize my standpoint on the matter.

I come from a social background where families, comprising a married set of people and supported by sets of close relatives; bear and raise children as among core responsibilities in life. The father and the mother deliberately decide on the course of action and are always directly involved at all stages of both procreation as well as the raising of the family in a home.

But in addition to that, there is an undeniable unique psycho-sociological relationship between a child and biological parents which, under normal circumstances, necessities a connection at all times. Among other things, a person’s true identity resides with biological parents. At least that’s the core of it.

As such, I could not – at the time of reading the article – reconcile the morality that justifies sperm donation with that which informs my understanding of proper human social development from a procreation perspective - let alone the acceptability of physical engagement in the process itself.

The questions racing through my mind included: ‘If a man desires to have children, as he should; why not have his own AND look after them himself? Why milk sperm into huge reserve tanks where it can be plastic bagged by, I’d argue; equally insane women who are sufficiently selfish to rather breed in complete blindness than engage with those they are familiar with?’

Incidentally, the same newspaper carried another article (“Orphans drop lawsuit over palatial estate” p3) about an Italian aristocratic family currently engaged in a bitter row over surrogate children acquired by a gay male member of the family.

Princess Gesine Doria Pamphilj and Prince Jonathan’s sad story simply sealed my conviction that, indeed; procreation of children through ‘mediums’ – be they sperm donors or surrogate mothers – is simply wrong and therefore unacceptable.

But then it struck me that the situation involving sperm donation and generation of surrogate children and which I was fast distancing my morality from is actually not necessarily unfamiliar nor a foreign practice in my own community. We just do not call it that, yet evidence of it is everywhere.

One only has to consider first the general acceptance of female pregnancy and the bearing of children outside wedlock and with that, the consequent increase in the number of single parent homes – mostly female – in South Africa over the past few years. We ain't been to any wars nor has HIV/Aids much to do with it.

There is sufficient statistical evidence showing the phenomenal growth of female-headed families in South Africa, the last near accurate estimation (Census 96) having put the figure at just over 3.5-million.

Fourteen years on, that figure will have doubled in 2011 especially given annual reports that show that an increasing number of school going children in especially poorer communities partake in the sexual activity frenzy where sperm is donated willy-nilly directly to both witting and unwitting would-be mothers and many of who, for all intents and purposes therefore, become surrogate mothers.

Eykelhof's article sought to suggest that donating sperm was not as easy in South Africa as it might be! I found that hard to believe because, please; 'we've been having it.'
 

Add your comment

To comment on this article please login or register

Your Weather

18 May 2012 9:00 Min Max
9 19
Click to view 7 day forecast

Categories

Civil Society Politics Business Native Interest

Archives

Your Views

dokhotelo 17 May 2012 8:31 pm

.....and for the interested.........another goddess went up there.....great Donna Summer !!!!!!!...........maybe for a duet with Whitney!!!!!..................

dokhotelo 17 May 2012 8:28 pm

....perhaps....just perhaps..a slim chance to the youngsters to have some quality in the somnolent village.other than drinking until crawling on the floor or worse, before going to better places.........

thirsty 17 May 2012 12:17 pm

what the hell next time Cosatu has a strike lets all go and throw rocks at them as well that might teach them some tolerance...

TheRef 16 May 2012 6:21 pm

Well,well! COSATU knew what was coming and spoilt the DA party,it appears democratic rights only apply to the ruling party and it`s allies.The resulting judgement will be interesting seeing who pays t...

dokhotelo 15 May 2012 8:56 pm

he he he he......800 million bucks!!......After all, it seems there are ANC Mafia syndicates running the EC at all levels....ain't it Editrix dear ???....................

Bokkie 15 May 2012 2:01 pm

Regarding the "new health fraud shock" I wonder why? let's see... O yes all the people in top positions are without any qualifications, any previous experience, they are incompetant to do their job, ...

thirsty 14 May 2012 12:56 pm

This sounds absolutely STUPID, just think what development could be done for people of Port Elizabeth with that money, LET ALONE GET THE METRO's FINANCES FIXED UP by not doing this....

thirsty 14 May 2012 12:44 pm

R800 Million stolen in one department in one year, AND THEY STILL VOTE FOR THE ANC, HOW STUPID. Western Cape gets a clean audit, and puts out more tenders and contracts BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT STOLEN T...

mastermindPE 14 May 2012 10:28 am

IS THIS ACCEPTABLE YOU THIEVES FROM THE USELESS ANC-pf ?????...

mastermindPE 14 May 2012 10:22 am

You get the corrupt evil government you deserve when you vote for these clowns in the ANC-pf. All about cadre deployment, pillage, plunder, steal and feel feathers for the voting fodder they USE to st...

Proudly part of AVUSA Media DMMA Member - Digital Media & Marketing Association All material copyright The Herald. © Avusa Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Subscribe |Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy |News | What's Up | Blogs | Classifieds | About Us | Jobs | Herald ad rates | WeekendPost ad rates

Website designers Online Innovations
Developed and hosted by Online Innovations