The times they are a changin’.
Big Time.
Should we as a society be able to decide who is fit to be a parent? I’m sure your first instinct is to say no. That it’s not even possible to do so. And if it were, it would be immoral or unethical.
But it is possible, at least partially. Thanks to fertility treatments.
I just read this article, Who Decides The Makings of a Modern Family?, in the National Post.
The article examines how fertility treatment is changing the face of the family.
It is fairly widely accepted, and there is evidence, that gay and lesbian parents are equally good or bad at parenting as heterosexual parents.
Other cases are not so clear cut. Here are some examples from the article:
- Physically or mentally disabled people
- Older people, especially mid-fifties and up
- People with serious mental illnesses or issues such as psychopaths and sociopaths
- Transexuals – yes there is a case mentioned in the article
- People who are depressed or grieving at the time they seek treatment
- Practising addicts
Some cases may seem more cut and dried than others. For example, if a person comes in drunk or stoned one obviously wouldn’t treat them – but what about when they come back sober, how would one know if they are truly committed to sobriety?
Anyone can go out and have sex and get pregnant, we don’t have any control over that (forced sterilization is another topic all together). We can stop addicts or people who are mentally disabled or ill from doing that.
But we can choose not to treat their infertility. The question is, should we?
Sherry Levitan, a lawyer who specializes in fertility cases, says trying to judge who will make a good parent is fraught with peril.
I would agree with that. Our biases are very strong and would definitely influence our decisions. For example, many educated people may thing that a university degree and good job is important, and maybe some experience, like over 28, etc. They make think that a young couple who work in a factory will be lesser parents than the first group. Of course that is a ridiculous notion. The first family may be able to buy more but things do not make a good parent. The younger couple may invest more time in their children.
Who knows. And that is the point. How can we know where to draw the line?
Dr. Librach of the McGill Reproductive Centre feels that people who “are willing to invest their resources and bear what are often the difficulties and frustrations of fertility treatment have likely given the subject of parenthood considerable thought, and are more apt than most parents to value the resulting children”.
I had IVF but I do not think I value my children more than other parents do.
I haven’t even addressed the multiples issue. Or the fact that Canada doesn’t have regulations regarding fertility treatment.
What a topic.
What do you think?
Holy balls, that’s all sooooo tough. I wonder if there can even be any kind of clear-cut legislation about such things?! I suppose in the past, the financial aspects (super high costs) weeded out many “undesirables” but that’s unfair to those without the bucks. Hmmmm…. thoughtful post, Erin!
I read the article as well and like Jen – there are so many things it raises and so many differing opinions come to my mind. I had to go through a psychiatric test before they would do my insemination. At the time I was seriously pissed off. As you said, I kept thinking some kid can go and get knocked up in a bar…but I have to be cleared emotionally to have a kid. In hindsight, knowing what I know now…it’s not as cut and dried. I’m not sure who would have the right – but there are so many questions to be asked! Not even sure where to start!
OMG. Every which way you turn on this there is another question! I really don’t know but my instinct is to say that there are certain cases when society would carry the burden and the child would suffer if they are conceived under certain circumstances so there has to be somewhere to draw the line. The problem is that I don’t know how or where.
Very interesting question.