I read a story today on Ya.hoo news regarding a mix-up of sperm at an IVF clinc and a lawsuit that has ensued…..while certainly this is an awful situation, this isn’t the subject of this post. It was the comments that followed that really rattled me. There were dozens and dozens of comments from people stating their views on IVF, Infertility Treatments and people who are unable to conceive “the old fashioned way”, often times using the word 'selfish' to describe those who pursue treatment. While I certainly understand why IVF itself is controversial from a religious perspective, and I have nothing but respect for the people who follow their religion's teachings on the subject. What I don’t understand or respect are the people who so ignorantly believe that infertility is part of the natural selection process, the way nature intended it, survival of the fittest if you will, that those of us who are unable to conceive are genetically flawed and therefore rightfully unable to procreate, and by conceiving using medical intervention we are contaminating the gene pool and in turn adding to the already overpopulated world. SERIOUSLY WTF!!!!!!
By this mentality anyone who has an ailment of any sort, be it cancer, diabetes, or whatever would also be genetically flawed and by using artificial means i.e. medical intervention to stay alive are messing with the natural selection process as well, right? Am I wrong here? Why do we even have medical intervention for anything at all if it were ‘natural’ for some of us to die and some of us to live the way nature intended? Wouldn’t letting these ‘flawed’ people meet their demise also be helping this overwhelming overpopulation problem we have and cleaning up the gene pool?
We all know that everyone of those people who posted their opposition to fertility treatment would seek medical intervention for an illness or disease. Why does intervention for infertility get singled out as going against natural selection? How is this thinking rational or acceptable? I’m not talking about a couple people here, there were seriously dozens of commenters who felt this way. Why are infertility and the people who suffer from it so misunderstood? Where does this end? If we’re worried about contaminating the gene pool – shouldn’t there be some sort of medical screening or application process to procreate, shouldn’t we take it upon ourselves to only allow those who are genetically superior to conceive?
How did this world and the people in it get so screwed up? Someone help me understand.
I was thinking the same thing the other night when I was watching some TV show, cant remember, and they said that infertility was part of the natural selection, blah blah blah. Put us folks that have struggled w/ IF in the same category as gays and lesbians and saying they too were part of this natural selection. My question, preists and nuns who do nothing to continue society, who are supposed to be the highest religious folks, why are they not included in this group?
ReplyDeleteGross. Until you have walked in those shoes, I say hush up.
end rant.
It's amazing that people have an opinion without any experience. This is what makes it hard to tell people about what your going through, and what makes infertility feel so lonly. SO maybe I should be sooo happy for the 16 and pregnant girls on MTV, they are obviously the gene pool we want "overpopulating" this world! Ugh! Hate it!!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the medical intervention for all diseases/conditions part. I tell this to people all the time when they begin asking questions and making comments about it "messing with God's plan". It shuts them up really quick......
ReplyDeleteHey, L! Do you still have my email? You can just tell me what times work best for you and I can work around your schedule. The WebEx simply allows you to "enter" the online meeting, and view the powerpoint presentation that will be on MY desktop. Then we'd also need to be on the phone at that time, so you can hear the presentation :)
ReplyDeleteEmail me with your availabilities and we can try to set something up that works best for you.