Lies, Damn Lies

sperm donors

Sperm donation is an odd thing. It's something I feel I should be comfortable with doing- after all, you get some money, and help people who want some children to get some. After all, what makes a child yours? Is it purely the fact that you submitted half of their genetic material, or do you have to raise them?

This ties into a law which I really dislike in the UK, that sperm donors have no right to anonimity- so their children can track them down. This has rather led to a drop in donations- it is certainly a factor that would put me off considering it. I really don't see the link here- there is nothing there that truly matters. It is different in the case where, after sex, someone becomes pregnant, and chooses to keep the child- you probably should look after the child, if only financially, because after all you took the chance when you had sex, but in the case of donation, you have given that up as an act of kindness to someone who desperately wants a child and either has no partner to provide it, or a partner who is unable for some reason to provide it. Really I don't see why you should have any responsibility towards the child.

This is sort of why I find the whole "you're adopted" shock a bit odd- I'm not entirely sure I would be that disturbed- my parents are my parents, whether they had me the usual way or whether they adopted. I don't know, of course, it would have affected me when I was younger, but I like to think not, because I like to think of myself as the height of rationality at all points, despite a reasonable amount of evidence to the contrary.

posted by Mr K @ 6:19 pm