Surrogacy: Futuristic Solution or Dystopian Fiction?

It would be a good thing if by the year 2050, half the pregnancies in developed countries occurred through surrogacy. Agree or disagree?

As technology advances, we are able to remedy many of humanity’s historic hindrances. This advancement in technology has also resulted in finding new alternatives when undertaking even intrinsic tasks that make living beings different than others and humans, human. Advancements in reproductive technologies and surrogates, too, are some of these ‘remedies’. However, can we truly consider surrogacy to be such a significant development in a world where our perception of social norms, values, and paradigms are also everchanging? Although the technology of surrogacy offers great opportunities for some, due to the fact that it is open to rampant exploitation and further materialization of women, I would disagree that a scenario whereby the year 2050, half the pregnancies in developed countries occurred through surrogacy would be good.

To address the issue, it is first important to touch upon some of the topics of debate that are currently taking place. Since the industrial revolution, in most parts of the developed and developing world, there has been a common and prevalent trend: women’s participation in the labor force. As more and more women participated in the labor force, their role and the way they are viewed in society drastically changed. One of the major debates regarding feminism was how the patriarchy and pre-established systems of power materialize and exploit women. The feminist movement even adapted itself to take control of the narrative that was used against them and take back control of their own bodies, minds, and ability to decide for themselves. The issue of surrogacy, too, should be assessed from a feminist standpoint. Currently, surrogacy is utilized mostly by individuals who can not have children of their own—same-sex couples, failed IVF patients, etc. Conversely, we have also seen a current wave of affluent and wealthy individuals that simply choose to use surrogates just because it is more convenient. From a liberal and utilitarian standpoint—where I stand on most issues—I find this issue particularly a bit troubling. The contractarian act of 2 consenting parties—the surrogate mother and the sperm and or/egg donor(s)—can be argued to be completely unproblematic per its aforementioned contractarian nature, however, considering a society where half of all pregnancies are through this method, the policy perspective that affects society can’t be ignored. The main case against this ‘sci-fi’ scenario is that it will lead to further materialization and exploitation of women and the female body. Margaret Atwood’s famous novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, offers a glimpse into such a possible future where fertile women are solely seen as ‘animals for breeding’. The prompt, of course, doesn’t necessarily imply such a grim scenario, however, the implied materialization and its possible implications can be drawn from this work of fiction.

In conclusion, although at first, it might seem like a great and futuristic idea, due to its possible implications regarding further materialization and exploitation of the female body that might result in a dystopian future, the proposal wouldn’t be good for society at large.