The Burden of a Surrogate
Sarah Gibson
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the sociology of surrogate motherhood. I aim to explore both the ethics and the history of surrogacy, and I also hope to bring awareness to the topic and create a more open discussion platform. As I review the history, ethics, and social aspect of surrogacy, I will also divulge further the related issues such as the economics of surrogacy, the legal rights of surrogate mothers, legal rights of sperm donors, and the legal rights of the children therein created. Surrogacy is an important process to understand because as science advances, it is increasingly easy and more socially acceptable to either become a surrogate mother or obtain one. Additionally, fertility is steadily declining around the world, so any person could end up having to rely on surrogacy for a healthy pregnancy. There are many polarizing views and opinions on surrogacy, most of which stem from a lack of education on what surrogacy actually is. I hope to acknowledge and educate as many people as possible on the methods of surrogacy and how non-controversial it actually is.
Sarah Gibson is from Lexington, South Carolina and a senior sociology major. She is graduating a year early from Lander University and plans to obtain her masters in speech pathology at the University of South Carolina after graduating.
