Not sure why Sunday Morning, the weekends most boring news show, keeps being so edgy <woooooo>
Surrogate motherhood (aka testtube babies) are nothing new, but the interviewer asked some surrogates if they felt this was like prostitution. One women answered like this "You are providing a service to people in need, its not like you are selling your body."... umm, that sounds like whoring to me. These women get paid $20k-$40k to carry someone else's sperm and eggs to term.
Surprisingly to me, this is still illegal in several states... can you guess which ones? Its even illegal in Europe.
Are we supposed to believe that it is illegal for a woman to be paid to have someones wang in her body, but it is legal to have their baby in her body?
Makes sense to me both ways, but you can't have one without the other. Someone tell me I'm wrong?
Not only is it legal in NV, you don't even need to use artificial insemination.
ReplyDeleteHm. It's almost as if women should be given a choice of what to do with their own bodies.
ReplyDeleteI don't know... Not sure if I follow, its tough when you don't give your opinion. I sense a semi-answer, but no explanation.
ReplyDeleteSo whoring and surrogates = women's choice?
Interesting thing here is that the surrogate baby isn't really the mothers, not legally or biologically. So it's the womans choice why? because she accepted into her body? or because she signed a contract?
I don't really care Jimmy, but you made the statement, just trying to understand your rationale since you didn't present it.
Where does your slippery slope argument apply here? Feet firmly planted where?
I'm sensing more anger from you that I don't understand, like on the comedy thing, so I'll tread carefully. Personally, I think legislating what a person can or can't do within the confines of their own body is very dangerous territory. That's all.
ReplyDeleteIt boils down to a prohibition or regulation question to me. I think most things that consenting adults decide to do should be legal.
ReplyDeleteThere was quite of bit of debate here in SF during the election as there was a ballot measure to legalize prostitution (Measure K) It failed, and I think I would have voted for it (I voted in OR)
the basic arguments were:
"Many sex workers believe that decriminalization will help them to get police help with assault cases, allow them to talk openly to health care providers, and reduce social stigma.
Other advocates fear that decriminalization will lead to a rise in sex trafficking, encourage pimps and johns, and tie the hands of police."
I tend to believe that resorting to prostitution is the last option on anyone's list. The fact that it's illegal became a moot point halfway down the list. So prostitutes are in a bad situation regardless of legality, and then if something even more horrible happens to them, the only way they can get help is if they admit to committing a crime themselves.
There are other professions in addition to surrogate mothers and prostitutes that fall into a gray area. Tantric bodywork for one. let me find a link... hahha, ok, check this out:
http://www.templeofbliss.com/tantra.html
haha, that's the most ridiculous one I found. I'm not going to get into too many details but that involves acts that would most definitely be considered prostitution by the law. I know quite a few Dakinis and they in no way consider what they're doing prostitution, they're Tantric Buddhists and that's part of a very serious religious practice. It's very controversial that some people charge for their services and I know people who do not charge for that reason.
I gotta take the libertarian view on these things. If it hurt no one, do what you will.
haha, after clicking around on that link, those girls are straight up prostitutes, like that's a front, but there are people that are actually serious about that stuff, hold on.
ReplyDelete(prolly NSFW)
http://www.tantragoddesses.com/DakiniAviva.htm
I find this issue an interesting gray area.
ReplyDeleteLike I said I don't care either way, but I would take issue with anyone who supported one and not the other.
I also find it humorous that the women didn't see any parallels to prostitution.
I would take the libertarian approach here too, I don't see how anyone is negatively effected here, I don't see how anyone is being taken advantage off or being harmed.
I could make that argument for prostitution too, especially on a legal basis. Morally, I would have other arguments, but in a court of law, whore it up.
Hey Matt, they have semi-legal tantric body shops here in Atlanta... they're called "SPA" and are usually run by Asians ... i wonder what the law says about happy endings?
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteyeah, they have "spa and massage" places everywhere that are most likely fronts for sure, but the people that work there know that. but there are people who do Tantric bodywork as a very serious profession and they don't take walk-ins. You have to be serious about it also, if you're just trying to get off, they're not going to take you as a client.
I don't find it that weird that the surrogate mothers don't believe what they are doing is prostitution. It was pretty hilarious though that the one lady's response was "You are providing a service to people in need, its not like you are selling your body." Not the best choice of words there, definitely sounds like prostitution when you put it that way and the only difference is how you define "people in need"
I got some needs you know?
-Matt
Via con dios, dude. It's just harmless friction.
ReplyDeleteI think comparing surrogate motherhood to prostitution is a bit absurd. I think any woman would agree that they are very different, not just physically but emotionally (and yes I asked my wife). Women are a bit different about sex than men are (understatement of the century?). Being a prostitute is pretty emotionally scarring and distorts a woman's (or man's) perception of relationships and intimacy. It's generally considered a very bad thing to be.
ReplyDeleteNow, maybe surrogate motherhood is bad too, I don't know. Women create a strong emotional bond with the baby, as I'm sure you know well, Michael. So taking that baby away after birth could be devastating to some. Recipe for trouble.
On the other hand, it's her body. She can make the choice. Also, calling surrogate motherhood whoring is a bit of a stretch. You don't call a man a whore for performing physical labor in exchange for money. So where does the line come in? As soon as it involves a vag? Not very feminist of you.