Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Life And Society
  4. / Ethnic Relations
  5. / More Ethnic Relations

by singwell-is off researching a lot on March 29th, 2007

singwell-is off researching a lot

Question

Help answer this question below.

A white New York man has said that race is not an issue in the court case filed against an in-vitro clinic that impregnated his wife with a black man's sperm. What do you think?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 7 helpful answers below.

  • by Nuttsky on October 29th, 2007

    Nuttsky

    I don't know this case.

    But the point is that it was supposed to be this man's sperm and was not.

    That is the issue.

    He didn't want ANY other man's sperm used, and the clinic made a serious mistake.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Anonymous on May 26th, 2007

    Anonymous

      More information is needed, of course, to form a solid opinion on this case.

      If they were supposed to use this man's own sperm, then the issue clearly would be that they didn't; that they used someone else's sperm.  The couple wanted a child that was genetically both of theirs, and they got one that wasn't, due to an error on the clinic's part.  The race of the sperm source would indeed not be terribly relevant; just the fact that they didn't use the sperm that they were supposed to use.  The race issue only makes the error more obvious.

      If this is the case, then yes, the clinic should in some way be held accountable for this error.

     

      The case is somewhat less clear if it was understood that they were going to be using donated sperm, rather than the husband's own sperm.  It does seem obvious to me that in such a case — unless the couple explicitly say otherwise — that they are going to want a child that can be plausibly believed to be genetically a descendant of both of them; and that therefore, the only sperm that should be used would be sperm from someone who is ethnically similar to the husband.

      This seems to be common sense, but common sense isn't always clearly reflected in the law, or in whatever contracts someone might have signed.

     

      In either case, as a result of this mishap, the couple and their child are going to face some social problems that they shouldn't have had to face.  People who see this family, and who do not know the full story, are more often than not going to assume that the wife, at some point, had an adulterous affair, and that the child is a product of that affair.  The whole family is unfairly going to thus be stigmatized.  This isn't the way it should be, but it is the way it is; and I think that the clinic ought to bear some responsibility for this.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by purplecows on October 29th, 2007

    purplecows

    If I saw the family, I would assume that the wife had had a previous marriage, or a previous relationship. Actually, I would assume it was none of my business. :)

    The kid, as the product of the black man's sperm, would have an equally good or bad life whether he was born to that family, or to some other family with some other mom, so I don't see who is damaged here.

    Actually, the kid might be in a better position for college scholarships. Who is to say what social conditions will be like 20 years from now?

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Blar on June 13th, 2007

    Blar

    Clearly it is. I don't think it's "an issue" in that the parents are horrible racists and oh noes, a black baby, black people are bad - but they've out-and-out SAID that the fact the kid is black will have an impact on its life. Obviously it IS an issue to them - not out of any particular place of not caring for the kid, or out of bad motivations, but yes, it is an issue.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by JUSTNORMAL on March 29th, 2007

    JUSTNORMAL

    I believe that clinic should start being accountable for their horrible mistakes. It is not an issue of race, more of mistakes for couples desperately trying to have "their" own baby.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by tomsims on May 26th, 2007

    tomsims

    What is the issue? I assume it is a breach of contract in some respect. I am not aware of the case and not entitled to an opinion beyond that.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by chelan41 on May 26th, 2007

    chelan41

    it make's him look like he wife had a black man

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading A white New York man has said that race is not an issue in the court case filed against an in-vitro clinic that impregnated his wife with a black man's sperm. What do you think?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

White man gets spermed by thug

Answerbag

a Demand Media company