"Inseminated People Given Same Rights As Adopted People" or "Why Wasn't This Law?"

Seil · 06-01-2011, 02:04 AM

Because the title is less descriptive than I'd hoped, the actual thing is that children who're born through anonymous sperm donors are now being given the same rights as children who're adopted.

Here's the article.

Now I dun know, 'cause I've never donated sperm, but I think that this is a good thing. A while back we talked about issues like adopted kids seeking their biological parents, and I've got to wonder why this wasn't law in the first place. Like I said, I've never donated sperm - which is an awesome thing, people who want kids being able to have them is awesome - but I thought that most people donated for the financial aspect rather than the altruistic aspect. I mean, you donate blood here in Canada, you're donating for a reason - lives will literally be saved thanks to your contribution. But sperm donation?

TDK · 06-01-2011, 07:14 AM

So reading the article basically this started because a girl conceived using donated sperm wanted to meet her father, and the doctor wouldn't give her the information because the donor wished to remain anonymous? And now the court is saying the girl is in the right?

That's a bunch of bullshit. You have every right to remain anonymous, just because you donate sperm - a fairly charitable act, monetary gains aside - doesn't mean you should have to deal with a kid down the line just because "I NEVAR MET MY REAL DADDY!!1!"

Osterbaum · 06-01-2011, 07:47 AM

It's a question of the rights of two people; the donors right not to get involved beyond donating sperm and the child's right to know who his biological father is. There's no (easy) answer to which right is more important.

Quote:

You have every right to remain anonymous, just because you donate sperm - a fairly charitable act, monetary gains aside - doesn't mean you should have to deal with a kid down the line just because "I NEVAR MET MY REAL DADDY!!1!"

I mean, it might be easy for you or me to just claim I NEVER MET MY DADDY isn't a good enough reason but then again we aren't in that sort of situation.

Fifthfiend · 06-01-2011, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDK

That's a bunch of bullshit. You have every right to remain anonymous, just because you donate sperm - a fairly charitable act, monetary gains aside - doesn't mean you should have to deal with a kid down the line just because "I NEVAR MET MY REAL DADDY!!1!"

Phrasing the perfectly valid desire of a child to know something about / meet their biological father using poor spelling and multiple exclamation marks (and a number 1) certainly is an effective criticism.

I know that I for one have suddenly lost any sympathy for an uncertain young person maybe wanting to know a bit more about themselves and where they came from.

Kim · 06-01-2011, 12:17 PM

I will say if you donated the sperm under the assumption you were going to be anonymous, you should be able to remain anonymous. I think a better question going forward is whether people should be able to donate sperm under that assumption in the future. I could go either way on it.

Bard The 5th LW · 06-01-2011, 12:17 PM

I don't really know the best way to phrase why, but I support anonymity of the donor when they wish to stay anonymous. I suppose I can see why someone would want to know, but the choice to do it anonymously should be respected.

Fifthfiend · 06-01-2011, 12:20 PM

Anyway - I can certainly see where this could lead to bad results for a kid doing this, cause hey, there's a pretty good chance you're going to find out that your biological dad was... kind of a scuzzball. Or maybe a relatively okay guy who you just can't relate to at all, IDK. But as long as the people doing that are warned about it up front not to expect anything, then sure.

I guess I can maybe see where this would be uncomfortable for some guys, who maybe don't want someone turning up on their doorstep being like HEY I'M WHAT YOUR SPERM DONATION TURNED INTO, and I mean, it could certainly generally end up complicating things for the families that do this kind of thing, but I don't know if any of those possibilities constitute a valid reason to legally deny someone access to this information about their parent.

EDIT: and I think the article makes a good point that there are also some pretty valid health reasons for knowing who your biological parent is; someone needing information about their risk for medical conditions or searching for a bone marrow donor or some shit shouldn't need to die just because someone's uncomfortable with knowing where their sperm ended up.

Professor Smarmiarty · 06-01-2011, 12:23 PM

I totally support the right to remain anonymous. Your biological parent is pretty meaningless as n entity and certainly not enough to override their right to not have any contact. Doubly so if they gave under the assumption that they couldn't be contacted.
If the law was changed so donors couldn't get guaranteed anonymity nd if that was the case I would be ok with it, I'm not particularly strong eith way, but I wouldn't like this to happen for two reasons- 1) The point above and 2) You would lose sperm donors by the bucketload.

rpgdemon · 06-01-2011, 12:26 PM

Also, isn't it kind of a huge slight to all sorts of non-biological parents, adopted kids themselves, and gay couples who have a kid to say, "Nah, the person bringing you up is MEANINGLESS. You should only care about the guy whose sperm you had"?

Fifthfiend · 06-01-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

You would lose sperm donors by the bucketload.

I would find this at best extremely speculative even if the linked article didn't say that other countries which have banned anonymous donations have generally experienced a dropoff followed by an increase back to previous levels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpgdemon

Also, isn't it kind of a huge slight to all sorts of non-biological parents, adopted kids themselves, and gay couples who have a kid to say, "Nah, the person bringing you up is MEANINGLESS. You should only care about the guy whose sperm you had"?

That highly exaggerated strawman argument would indeed be a huge slight, if anyone were saying it, which nobody is.

06-01-2011, 02:04 AM	#1
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	"Inseminated People Given Same Rights As Adopted People" or "Why Wasn't This Law?" Because the title is less descriptive than I'd hoped, the actual thing is that children who're born through anonymous sperm donors are now being given the same rights as children who're adopted. Here's the article. Now I dun know, 'cause I've never donated sperm, but I think that this is a good thing. A while back we talked about issues like adopted kids seeking their biological parents, and I've got to wonder why this wasn't law in the first place. Like I said, I've never donated sperm - which is an awesome thing, people who want kids being able to have them is awesome - but I thought that most people donated for the financial aspect rather than the altruistic aspect. I mean, you donate blood here in Canada, you're donating for a reason - lives will literally be saved thanks to your contribution. But sperm donation?

06-01-2011, 12:20 PM	#7
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	Anyway - I can certainly see where this could lead to bad results for a kid doing this, cause hey, there's a pretty good chance you're going to find out that your biological dad was... kind of a scuzzball. Or maybe a relatively okay guy who you just can't relate to at all, IDK. But as long as the people doing that are warned about it up front not to expect anything, then sure. I guess I can maybe see where this would be uncomfortable for some guys, who maybe don't want someone turning up on their doorstep being like HEY I'M WHAT YOUR SPERM DONATION TURNED INTO, and I mean, it could certainly generally end up complicating things for the families that do this kind of thing, but I don't know if any of those possibilities constitute a valid reason to legally deny someone access to this information about their parent. EDIT: and I think the article makes a good point that there are also some pretty valid health reasons for knowing who your biological parent is; someone needing information about their risk for medical conditions or searching for a bone marrow donor or some shit shouldn't need to die just because someone's uncomfortable with knowing where their sperm ended up. __________________ check out my buttspresso Last edited by Fifthfiend; 06-01-2011 at 12:24 PM.

06-01-2011, 12:26 PM	#9
rpgdemon Not a Taco Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,313	Also, isn't it kind of a huge slight to all sorts of non-biological parents, adopted kids themselves, and gay couples who have a kid to say, "Nah, the person bringing you up is MEANINGLESS. You should only care about the guy whose sperm you had"? __________________ I did a lot of posting on here as a teenager, and I was pretty awful. Even after I learned, grew up, and came to be on the right side of a lot of important issues, I was still angry, abrasive, and generally increased the amount of hate in the world, in pretty unacceptable ways. On the off chance that someone is taking a trip down memory lane looking through those old threads, I wanted to devote my signature to say directly to you, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me be better, NPF.

06-01-2011, 07:14 AM	#2
TDK Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reality Posts: 2,914	So reading the article basically this started because a girl conceived using donated sperm wanted to meet her father, and the doctor wouldn't give her the information because the donor wished to remain anonymous? And now the court is saying the girl is in the right? That's a bunch of bullshit. You have every right to remain anonymous, just because you donate sperm - a fairly charitable act, monetary gains aside - doesn't mean you should have to deal with a kid down the line just because "I NEVAR MET MY REAL DADDY!!1!"

06-01-2011, 12:17 PM	#5
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	I will say if you donated the sperm under the assumption you were going to be anonymous, you should be able to remain anonymous. I think a better question going forward is whether people should be able to donate sperm under that assumption in the future. I could go either way on it.

06-01-2011, 12:17 PM	#6
Bard The 5th LW Feelin' Super! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4,191	I don't really know the best way to phrase why, but I support anonymity of the donor when they wish to stay anonymous. I suppose I can see why someone would want to know, but the choice to do it anonymously should be respected.

06-01-2011, 12:23 PM	#8
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	I totally support the right to remain anonymous. Your biological parent is pretty meaningless as n entity and certainly not enough to override their right to not have any contact. Doubly so if they gave under the assumption that they couldn't be contacted. If the law was changed so donors couldn't get guaranteed anonymity nd if that was the case I would be ok with it, I'm not particularly strong eith way, but I wouldn't like this to happen for two reasons- 1) The point above and 2) You would lose sperm donors by the bucketload.