Spring 2002

Beginning of Life

A Feminist Sperm Bank 

The Oakland (California) Feminist Women’s Health Center is a sperm bank that was founded in order to make AID (artificial insemination by donor) available in a manner that is consistent with feminist ideals. Although genetic and medical screening is provided, the keynote of the center’s operation is the fact that no social screening of applicants is done. Lesbians and unmarried women are expressly invited, along wit more traditional candidates for AID, to make use of the center’s services. In addition, neither standards of economics nor standards of intelligence are employed to exclude applicants, and racial matching is not done. 

1. Is the operational philosophy of this sperm bank morally sound?
2. Should a sperm bank be held accountable to society for social screening of its applicants for AID? If so, what factors would be sufficient to disqualify an applicant?

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