re: LIFESCIENCE: gender 1

[Lubica=Lacinova <Lubica=Lacinova@IPT>]

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ARS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL 99
LIFESCIENCE
Linz, Austria, September 04 - 09
http://www.aec.at/lifescience
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On Sunday, August 8, 1999 at 10:39:35 pm MEZ,
PROFRICHAR@aol.com wrote:
>as it common practise these reproductive technologies will be in the hand of 
>mostly male geneticists or doctors that that will decide whether kindly to 
>donnate anything to a pleading woman. 

Clinical genetics is dominated by males and they do like to exert control.
Nevertheless, for me is more important question if women should really accept
"industrialization" of formerly natural reproduction. Not that long time ago
cesarean section was exceptional procedure. Now, 25% of all births in USA are
done that way. The question is, did general health status of women
deteriorated so rapidly (if so, how comes that there is no furor
about it ?!?) or it is just extension of the obsession of our society with
modern technology and control? If the second is the case (and I am afraid it
is), than I can imagine that the percentage of children which were not
conceived naturally will increase much more rapidly that the number of 
sterile
men and/or women. The point is not to increase accessibility of "alternative
conception methods", the point is to reject their use in cases when they are
not a necessity.

>so woman will be mostly not able to 
>know about all the possiblities of genetics and reproductive technologies, 
>especially if they have little money (in germany they cutting down the rates 
>for consultations with special machines, if you have normal insurance you 
>have to pay extra money to make ultrasonic images of the fetus)

I can not see the direct connection between lack of money and lack of
informations, particularly in Germany. You have quite good network of public
libraries, most of the households have TV. As far as the informations about
reproductive technologies will be publicly available, women can find them. 
And
your current red/green government wants to have as a focus point of sexual
education explanations about reproductive technologies (in contrast to
previous black government with focus point on anti-abortion propaganda).
Nevertheless, stress should go in direction to explain, that these
technologies are not superior to -- so to say -- natural reproduction. I do
not think that technological control of every aspect of our life will make a
great contribution towards humanity. So I would prefer to explore if all
modern reproductive technologies are desirable (do they give us more than 
they
take from us?) rather than to strive to make them as common as possible.

>the cases of a doctor in rome allowing a 63 year old woman to give birth to 
>until now two sons was a scandal the critique was how irresponsible this 
>woman is to give birth at that age because she will die soon. 
>what about all old man being father in senior age. This is indeed normal and 
>accepted by society. 

Yes, you are right: society expect mother to take care of child, father's
obligations are much less binding. Question is, which part of this situation
deserves more attentions: should we request less from mothers or should we
require more from fathers? My preference is the second one.
Luba Lacinova
e-dress  lacinova@ipt.med.tu-muenchen.de
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