Blurs Parental Responsibility

AN ARGUMENT AGAINST SURROGACY

P1. Surrogacy blurs the meaning of the word “parent”

P2. Blurring the meaning of the word “parent” blurs the responsibility of being a parent

C. Therefore surrogacy blurs the responsibility of being a parent 


CONSERVATIVE COMMENTARY

Surrogacy introduces new meanings to the word “parent” and any surrogacy agreement can include multiple parents such as:

  • Intended parent
  • Legal parent
  • Gestational parent

By blurring the meaning of the word “parent” it is not at all clear what responsibilities fall on each type of parent.

Imagine Theresa and Tom commission Debbie to carry a child using Abby’s egg and Adam’s sperm. Now imagine they all divorce and remarry before the baby is born and the agreement was found to be null and void. How many of the 16 people involved have some potential parental rights/responsibilities related to the child?

  1. Theresa
  2. Theresa’s husband
  3. Tom
  4. Tom’s wife
  5. Debbie
  6. Debbie’s husband
  7. Debbie’s ex-husband 
  8. Debbie’s ex-husband’s wife 
  9. Abby
  10. Abby’s husband
  11. Abby’s ex-husband
  12. Abby’s ex-husband’s wife
  13. Adam
  14. Adam’s wife
  15. Adam’s ex-wife
  16. Adam’s ex-wife’s husband