Thread by @WombsNotForRent

We don't think this is clickbait, but actually an accurate and timley article which looks at the maternity scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS trust, international commercial #surrogacy in #Ukraine and Catherine Bennett also highlights proposed #lawreform #surrogacyreform in UK

https://twitter.com/TwoDads_UK/status/1498315813765677057

"The Law Commission’s confidence in British arrangements appears largely based on one small study of local altruistic surrogacy likely to be unrepresentative of any new, paying version." This possibly refers to Dr Kirsty Horsey's 2015 study...

Horsey, K., ‘Surrogacy in the UK: Myth busting and reform’ Report of the Surrogacy UK Working Group on Surrogacy Law Reform (Surrogacy UK, November 2015) "29. (27.1%) of these received less than £10,000, while 73 (68.2%) received £10-15,000 and five (4.7%) received £15-20,000."

"Key finding: Most UK surrogates receive less than £15,000 compensation." Compensation: noun (money) that is paid to someone in exchange for something that has been lost or damaged or for some problem. So not 'expenses' then... 👀

Telegraph article from 2018: telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/0…

And some more research from Dr Kirsty Horsey undertaken with My Surrogacy Journey "This insightful data relates to PO applications incorporating both domestic and international surrogacy arrangements from 2011 to 2021" Who runs My Surrogacy Journey...?
mysurrogacyjourney.com/blog/surrogacy…

Michael and Wes Ellis Johnson, from yes, you've guessed it twodadsuk.com/about

TwoDads:"You may remember back in October 2018 myself and Wes were invited to London by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). We were asked to participate in discussions related to the Surrogacy Law Reform, led by Andrew Percy MP." twodadsuk.com/blog/appg-surr…

"The APPG also met with a vast group of Surrogacy advocates in 2018/2019 including Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis, Founders of TwoDadsUK, The Modern Family Show and My Surrogacy Journey." mysurrogacyjourney.com/journey-resear… ...Advocates?

Catherine Bennett: "But what might appear compelling reasons to reconsider surrogacy will only strike its *advocates* – or UK law commissioners – as another reason to enhance the domestic offer. In the UK, it is argued, the business of female incubation can be better regulated."

And:"What if a surrogate (the commissioners dislike adding the word *mother*) is left not just permanently changed, but physically or mentally impaired by childbirth? Infertile? Dead?"

Finally, our favourite bit, a useful reminder: "As the UN’s rapporteur said, warning about the sale of babies, “there is no right to have a child under international law."

"privileged with fertility"? Interesting idea...let's explore: If c with being fertile are you automatially underprivelged if infertile? What is infertility? Is "fertility equality" we should strive for in society, what does that look like?

Firstly what is infertility? The NHS says "Infertility is when a couple cannot get pregnant (conceive) despite having regular unprotected sex." But based on how human reproduction works this can only be referring to heterosexual couples.Same-sex couples aren't infertile are they?

Both of the TwoDads have fathered children. Neither are 'infertile'. Infertilty is a physical/medical issue, not social one. If same-sex couples are to be considered infertile then should single people be too, based on the necessary requirements for conception?

Michael Ellis Johnson, BBC News, 22.9.21: "We should be talking about surrogacy as a form of *fertility treatment*."

So...if #surrogacy is a treatment for #infertility and those with 'fertility privilege' (women #adulthumanfemale) are required as medical instruments/methods 2 achieve "fertility equality" are women just #wombsforhire? #becomeasurrogate #surrogacyreform #womenarehuman #sexmatters