Argument for the Legal Recognition and Social Acceptance of Surrogacy
The Module 5 Case study is an Argumentative essay in which the writer takes a stance on surrogacy and provides three or more supporting points as support. After reflecting on "Surrogacy: Wombs For Rent," "'Google Baby' Follows Birth Outsources to India," and "Her Body, My Baby," write a well-organized and well-supported essay either for or against surrogacy. A well-organized essay has a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning, or introduction, should include an opening sentence to grab your reader’s attention. Follow the opening sentence with a brief background on the topic or situation. In this case, it would be brief summary on surrogacy. The last sentence of the introduction is the thesis statement. The thesis states the main point of the essay, which in this case, would be a statement affirming the paper's stance for or against surrogacy. A well-supported essay includes supporting points, details, and examples. For this essay, you must decide the best way to organize the body of the paper. Will you have one or two paragraphs for each supporting point? Will you divide the body of your paper into three or more paragraphs, one for each point? In any case, each body paragraph must support (explain) your reasoning (rationale) using specific details. Each body paragraph must have a topic sentence that states the main point of the paragraph, which in this case would be each supporting point. This essay must include no less than SIX citations from the assigned readings of Module 5 on surrogacy. Citations are to be a combination of direct quotations and paraphrased quotations with or without the author's name. Quoting from the videos above may be only in addition to your two selected sources and field source. The conclusion typically summarizes the main points of the essay and/or closes with a lasting impression that connects the reader to their world. In this case, where do we go from here? The essay must also include a Reference List that includes the readings quoted in the essay. Be sure to proofread your essay and edit for proper grammar, punctuation, diction (word choice), and spelling, as errors in sentence skills will lower a final grade. A grade will be determined based on the Module 5 Case expectations and the Trident University General Education rubric for English. Papers must be double-spaced in Times or Times New Roman font (12 cpi) with standard one-inch margins. The first person "I" is not used in a formal essay, nor is the passive "you." In place of "you," "one" may be used. Assignment Expectations •Write an argumentative essay (no less than four pages in length) either for or against surrogacy. •Include an introductory paragraph with thesis statement. •Include body paragraphs (each with a topic sentence that states the point of the paragraph) that support the thesis through examples and details. •Include a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay. •Include no less than six citations in APA format taken from the assigned readings. •Include a Reference List for the sources used in the essay. Proofread your essay for errors in grammar, diction (word choice), punctuation, and spelling.
Argument for the Legal Recognition and Social Acceptance of Surrogacy
Name
Institution
Why surrogacy should be embraced
Surrogacy is the least talked about subject in public discourses, yet it seems to be as emotional and controversial as the over-talked about issue of euthanasia. Perhaps the reason is because few people fins it necessary to seek surrogate services to bear a child, or it could be because of the social stigma associated with the whole issue. In India, for instance, people don’t talk about it openly because carrying another person’s child is held with the same contempt as adultery. Not surprisingly, the whole affair of seeking or offering surrogate services is carried out in secrecy in conservative societies like India. Despite people’s attitudes towards surrogacy, however, the pertinent issue is not whether it is acceptable, ethical, or legal, but whether it is of any value to individuals, families, and the society in general. In this essay, I argue for the need to legalize surrogacy and discourage the negative attitude toward it in some societies. This is because surrogacy provides an opportunity for couples who are unable to conceive or women who are not able to carry a pregnancy to term to get children and raise them as their own. Secondly, surrogacy provides surrogates with the opportunity to improve their lives and that of their families by getting paid for their services.
The family is regarded as the basic unit of a society. Children play an important role in making a family complete. That is why procreation is considered one of the functions of the marriage institution. In normal circumstances, individuals enter into marriage unions with the purpose of raising a family, which primarily means bearing and raising children. When a couple fails to bear a child due to biological or medical reasons, their dreams of raising a family are shattered. Surrogacy provides an alternative means through which such couples can realize their plans in marriage. It is just a matter of using technology “to bring happiness to childless couples” (Field, 2009, p. 43). In the a feature story aired in BBC’s The World Service’s Your World, a lady from Ireland who had lost all hope of ever bearing a child had her life turned around when she was able to get the help of a surrogate from India. Being childless could be a traumatizing issue for some people, and surrogacy offers them the chance to find happiness in marriage. Therefore, surrogacy should be viewed from the perspective of its role, particularly on how it helps couples who cannot bear children to lead normal family lives.
Surrogacy also helps surrogates to improve their lives and that of their families financially. The documentary “Google Baby” by Zippi Brand Frank shows how poor Indian mother have been able to change their lives and for their families by offering to carry fertilized embryos for women who cannot carry a pregnancy to term due to medical conditions. For many Indian women, $4, 000 is a lot of money which can change their lives significantly. In the BBC’s “Womb for Rent,” Sonal, a poor woman from India, explains how she has been able to raise money for building a home for her family as well as paying for her children’s schooling.
Surrogacy is not criminal, since the parties involved enter into this arrangement voluntarily (Field, 2009, p. 161). The surrogate mother offers to carry a child to term on behalf of another woman for pay. The woman who is not able to conceive or carry a pregnancy considers this offer and decides whether it is good for her. Critics of a feminist leaning may argue that the whole business of sur...