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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Babies as consumer goods

Outsourcing your pregnancy is becoming increasingly popular, it seems, since surrogate moms are much cheaper in India.

Now, infertility is a heartbreaking thing. I'm not belittling the anguish of dealing with that. But this idea that kids are a consumer good that you order from overseas because it's cheaper that way is a bit of a problem for me.

I wonder how many of the women hiring somebody to have a baby for them are the same ones insisting that we need abortion because there are so many kids who already need homes. You know, people who have the money and the resources to adopt, but just choose otherwise, becasue, you know, it's all about them choosing what they want. Because what they want is all that matters.

Just curious.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:33 PM

    I agree with your main point on how "outsourcing" surrogacy commodifies children, and I would also add that it commodifies women, specifically women of color, as well.

    However, trying to pin this phenomenon on some straw-pro-choicer is pure hyperbole and speculation.

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  2. I said I was speculating.

    To me, the big link between the two (outsourced surrogacy and abortion) is the "the baby I want, when I want it" mentality that I have seen among some abortion supporters.

    Life doesn't work that way. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."

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