CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2015
| Author | Pocock, Tess Louise |
|---|---|
| Title | Buyers Beware: Considerations of Cross-Border Surrogacy Arrangements in the United States-Mexico Context |
| Summary | Family dynamics of the 21st century are changing, yet the societal pressures of parenthood coupled with an insatiable desire to construct one's own biological nuclear family remains intact. Globalization is one component engendering the influx of cross-border reproductive technologies. Friction surrounding ethical considerations of Assisted Reproductive Technologies saw reinvigorated discourse with the advent of transnational surrogacy. In the U.S.A., gestational surrogacy has shifted the paradigm of who can biologically parent, catering widely to infertile heterosexual couples, gay couples, and single men. Emerging as a destination for U.S. intended parents is Tabasco, México. Agencies began burgeoning in 2007 when the potential to capitalize on the industry was within legal reach under an altruistic platform. Altruistic rhetoric whitewashes the conditions surrogates encounter and the association denigrates carriers to selfless charity-houses, rather than acknowledging how they self-identify and embody carrying, namely, as work for the purposes of renumeration. Ethnographic research conducted in April 2015 included interviews with participants in México's industry including agencies, intended parents, surrogates, and government officials. The purpose of the research was to glean whether the geographical proximity of the U.S.A. and México garners greater interpersonal relationships between intended parents and surrogate, and whether this unique dynamic could diminish or overtake exploitative factors. Whether there exists a framework for these arrangements to be acceptable on moral, political, and legal grounds in the global landscape is a complexity yet to be unearthed. México's lack of regulation and oversight of agencies precipitates evident vulnerabilities between intended parents and carriers. The U.S.A. Department of State has yet to revise citizenship requirements in order to effectively account for these contemporary families and diverse interpretations of parenthood. The proximity between these countries presents a profound difference compared to other transnational arrangements and is worth reflection. The American demand for Mexican surrogates is steady and will entail new policies and regulation to prevent those vulnerable from exploitation. |
| Supervisor | Sándor, Judit |
| Department | Gender Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2015/pocock_tess.pdf |
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