ROME — Italy on Wednesday passed the West’s most restrictive law against international surrogacy, threatening would-be parents who use birth mothers abroad with jail time and severe fines in a move that critics say will chiefly target same-sex couples.
Domestic surrogacy was already banned in Italy, as it is in some other countries and U.S. states, but the amended Italian law goes further, classifying surrogacy as a rare universal crime that transcends borders, like terrorism or genocide.
The measure marks the strongest salvo yet in far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s bid to put a conservative stamp on Italian society, and it elevates surrogacy as a hot-button issue in the West’s raging culture wars.
The law, passed last year by the lower house and effectively ensured by the Senate vote on Wednesday, also criminalizes work by Italian citizens employed as doctors, nurses and technicians in foreign fertility clinics that facilitate surrogacies.
And thus, nothing was solved, time and money are wasted, ~~and children are harmed~~.
A conservative classic.
Dont_Knowtrain on
Why is the world going backwards
fromouterspace1 on
Is it still the 90s again over there?
EggLord2000 on
What are the actual laws?
Puzzleheaded_Soup847 on
after reading this I can understand why they would ban it because it leaves room for abuse and neglect however the real reason was probably political and not ethical
helm on
Surrogacy for money is forbidden in Sweden too. Also, the parental right of the surrogate mother (if volunteering) is so strong they can change their mind after birth.
In combination, those who look at this solution either pair up with lesbian women or go abroad for surrogacy.
rendorei_ on
Never sure how it’s not universally seen as completely effed up and unethical to pay a woman to get pregnant and birth a child for you like a breeding device to rent.
maybesaydie on
They tried this a while back when Mussolini’s granddaughter first was elected.
Infinite_Peanut1216 on
Surrogacy is a dangerous and often predatory practice that is totally unnecessary. It should be banned globally.
There are enough adoptable children around for every infertile parent. Risking the health and safety of the surrogate so you can have your pristine newborn while millions of kids need homes is sociopathic.
The homophobia at the heart of this is unfortunate but I’m glad anytime I hear surrogacy is being banned.
Cute_Chemical_4910 on
that’s Good! Surrogacy is abomination, Pocreation itself is already bad enough. There are many orphans out there take care of them first.
BetterKorea on
Using women from 3rd world countries as your breeding cattle is bad, actually.
gotagohome on
No they just have to adopt
MinnaMinnna on
Is adoption a thing there?
SquirrelGirlSucks on
A reminder that far right conservatism (fascism) is not just an issue in the US right now.
impermanentvoid on
Take the LGBTQ politicization out of this argument and it becomes a human rights issue. But when the Italian gov makes it an LGBTQ issue, that is a human rights issue as well. This should not be about sex, it is about the potential for human right violations. It isn’t just gay people who use a surrogate. Correlation does not equal causation. Peace love and respect to all!
battleofflowers on
Maybe, just maybe, women’s bodies shouldn’t be purchased as a commodity for breeding purposes. Good for Italy!
gigium1 on
From Italy, the news didn’t talk about it at all…
[deleted] on
[removed]
ColdAsHeaven on
Wait the article says surrogacy is banned in the US too. But this can’t be true?
I have family members that were unable to conceive themselves and just had their surrogate daughter a few months ago. I’ve seen advertising for the agency/company they used throughout SF.
Is this specifically just a ban on specific types of surrogacy?
LightDrago on
It makes sense to ban commercial surrogacy because of how quickly it can become exploitative. In most countries, this is already the case. However, banning voluntary/altruistic surrogacy doesn’t make much sense. These are much desired children that are well looked after.
Same-sex couples are not allowed *any* form of adoption in Italy. Basically, you’re not allowed to start a family as a same-sex couple. Probably will be difficult if you’re an infertile heterosexual couple as well, given that the article already mentions that most couples (90%) using a surrogate are heterosexual. This makes me think that Italy has the same problem as other western European countries, where there are way more adoptive parents (heterosexuals alone) on the waiting list than there are adoptable children. Often, adopting from abroad is limit as well because of similar exploitation concerns.
So, we have problems with declining birth rates, and then they block even altruistic surrogacy?! I really don’t get the problem with e.g. a gay couple and a lesbian couple teaming up to have children. Pure homophobia. But what can I say, the pope asked for a blanket ban on surrogacy world wide. Commercial surrogacy, fine. But voluntary surrogacy?? It’s like people don’t even realise it is a thing as well.
EDIT: Of course two heterosexual couples with one infertile partner each can also help each other, which is also blocked now.
Street-Swordfish1751 on
It’s a nice change of pace seeing European countries be bigoted assholes as an American.
Jesh010 on
Can gay couples not adopt?
Pristine-Chemist-427 on
Ah yes. The “WWIII starts, women and children affected most” headline.
HansBooby on
trumpism fanned these flames. what’s the harm?.. this is.
Bright_Score_9889 on
Not it doesn’t…gay people can still adopt. Which is the best option. If people were able to let go of their ego the would see that surrogacy is horrible. You’re literally buying a human at the expense of someone else.
UCantHoldBackSpring on
Well this is totally fucked up.
SereneTryptamine on
There are legitimate needs for surrogacy *in a well-regulated environment*, and also real human exploitation concerns.
Of course the Catholic Church would love to conflate the two, and where is this happening? Oh right. Italy. The primary site of the cancer. The Catholic Church is a dinosaur, and for the benefit of all humankind, it needs a fucking meteor.
28 Comments
ROME — Italy on Wednesday passed the West’s most restrictive law against international surrogacy, threatening would-be parents who use birth mothers abroad with jail time and severe fines in a move that critics say will chiefly target same-sex couples.
Domestic surrogacy was already banned in Italy, as it is in some other countries and U.S. states, but the amended Italian law goes further, classifying surrogacy as a rare universal crime that transcends borders, like terrorism or genocide.
The measure marks the strongest salvo yet in far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s bid to put a conservative stamp on Italian society, and it elevates surrogacy as a hot-button issue in the West’s raging culture wars.
The law, passed last year by the lower house and effectively ensured by the Senate vote on Wednesday, also criminalizes work by Italian citizens employed as doctors, nurses and technicians in foreign fertility clinics that facilitate surrogacies.
Read more here: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/16/italy-surrogacy-ban-gay-parents/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/16/italy-surrogacy-ban-gay-parents/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)
And thus, nothing was solved, time and money are wasted, ~~and children are harmed~~.
A conservative classic.
Why is the world going backwards
Is it still the 90s again over there?
What are the actual laws?
after reading this I can understand why they would ban it because it leaves room for abuse and neglect however the real reason was probably political and not ethical
Surrogacy for money is forbidden in Sweden too. Also, the parental right of the surrogate mother (if volunteering) is so strong they can change their mind after birth.
In combination, those who look at this solution either pair up with lesbian women or go abroad for surrogacy.
Never sure how it’s not universally seen as completely effed up and unethical to pay a woman to get pregnant and birth a child for you like a breeding device to rent.
They tried this a while back when Mussolini’s granddaughter first was elected.
Surrogacy is a dangerous and often predatory practice that is totally unnecessary. It should be banned globally.
There are enough adoptable children around for every infertile parent. Risking the health and safety of the surrogate so you can have your pristine newborn while millions of kids need homes is sociopathic.
The homophobia at the heart of this is unfortunate but I’m glad anytime I hear surrogacy is being banned.
that’s Good! Surrogacy is abomination, Pocreation itself is already bad enough. There are many orphans out there take care of them first.
Using women from 3rd world countries as your breeding cattle is bad, actually.
No they just have to adopt
Is adoption a thing there?
A reminder that far right conservatism (fascism) is not just an issue in the US right now.
Take the LGBTQ politicization out of this argument and it becomes a human rights issue. But when the Italian gov makes it an LGBTQ issue, that is a human rights issue as well. This should not be about sex, it is about the potential for human right violations. It isn’t just gay people who use a surrogate. Correlation does not equal causation. Peace love and respect to all!
Maybe, just maybe, women’s bodies shouldn’t be purchased as a commodity for breeding purposes. Good for Italy!
From Italy, the news didn’t talk about it at all…
[removed]
Wait the article says surrogacy is banned in the US too. But this can’t be true?
I have family members that were unable to conceive themselves and just had their surrogate daughter a few months ago. I’ve seen advertising for the agency/company they used throughout SF.
Is this specifically just a ban on specific types of surrogacy?
It makes sense to ban commercial surrogacy because of how quickly it can become exploitative. In most countries, this is already the case. However, banning voluntary/altruistic surrogacy doesn’t make much sense. These are much desired children that are well looked after.
Same-sex couples are not allowed *any* form of adoption in Italy. Basically, you’re not allowed to start a family as a same-sex couple. Probably will be difficult if you’re an infertile heterosexual couple as well, given that the article already mentions that most couples (90%) using a surrogate are heterosexual. This makes me think that Italy has the same problem as other western European countries, where there are way more adoptive parents (heterosexuals alone) on the waiting list than there are adoptable children. Often, adopting from abroad is limit as well because of similar exploitation concerns.
So, we have problems with declining birth rates, and then they block even altruistic surrogacy?! I really don’t get the problem with e.g. a gay couple and a lesbian couple teaming up to have children. Pure homophobia. But what can I say, the pope asked for a blanket ban on surrogacy world wide. Commercial surrogacy, fine. But voluntary surrogacy?? It’s like people don’t even realise it is a thing as well.
EDIT: Of course two heterosexual couples with one infertile partner each can also help each other, which is also blocked now.
It’s a nice change of pace seeing European countries be bigoted assholes as an American.
Can gay couples not adopt?
Ah yes. The “WWIII starts, women and children affected most” headline.
trumpism fanned these flames. what’s the harm?.. this is.
Not it doesn’t…gay people can still adopt. Which is the best option. If people were able to let go of their ego the would see that surrogacy is horrible. You’re literally buying a human at the expense of someone else.
Well this is totally fucked up.
There are legitimate needs for surrogacy *in a well-regulated environment*, and also real human exploitation concerns.
Of course the Catholic Church would love to conflate the two, and where is this happening? Oh right. Italy. The primary site of the cancer. The Catholic Church is a dinosaur, and for the benefit of all humankind, it needs a fucking meteor.