New online auction of human eggs: It's crass, but shouldn't be illegal
WASHINGTON, DC -- A new website that auctions the ova of beautiful models may be shallow and even crassly commercial -- but it shouldn't be illegal, the Libertarian Party said today.
"Love it or hate it, this is a pro-choice, pro-life website that offers a new reproductive option for Americans," said the party's national director, Steve Dasbach. "That's why politicians should keep their hands off other people's online ova."
On Monday, a California entrepreneur launched a new website that allows infertile couples to bid on the ova of beautiful models and actresses. Experts say bids could soar as high as $150,000. The site -- ronsangels.com -- attracted nearly 5 million hits in the first 24 hours of operation, and even a few charges that it's a hoax.
It also attracted fierce criticism. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has already promised to review the laws governing the fertility industry, and USA Today speculated the site could lead to "much tougher national regulation."
Spokespeople from the fertility industry also charged that ronsangels.com is unethical, smacks of eugenics, and panders to shallow people who value only beauty.
That may be true, said the Libertarian Party -- but those are not good enough reasons to let the government regulate or ban such sites.
"The fact is, most Americans would never consider using such an online ova auction service because they consider it morally offensive, or because it is too expensive," said Dasbach. "But for the 6.1 million infertile women in America, it could provide a promising new reproductive option."
Yes, the site does raise a number of interesting ethical questions about the commercialization of reproduction, he acknowledged.
"But there are also positive aspects that shouldn't be ignored," said Dasbach. "For example, ronsangels.com is both pro-life and pro-choice. It's pro-choice because it's a voluntary reproductive option for adults. And it's pro-life because it's a way to bring new children into the world.
"That's why the ultimate ethical question is: Should politicians have veto power over the creation of new human life? Libertarians say no. We support reproductive freedom of choice for Americans -- whether you choose to use the traditional method, or artificial insemination, or in-vitro fertilization, or the online auction of ova."
And despite all the media hoopla and controversy about ronsangels.com, people should remember the technology isn't new, said Dasbach.
"Except for the online auction aspect, there's nothing here that's particularly innovative," he said. "There are already about 200 assisted-reproduction centers around the USA that offer ova or sperm for infertile couples. And, in most cases, those centers offer information about the donors -- including racial or ethnic background, medical histories, and even intelligence scores. The only difference is that ronsangels.com more crassly touts the physical beauty of the ova donors."
But if being crass or shallow ever became illegal, the government would have to ban a lot more than ronsangels.com, said Dasbach.
"Many people already make shallow decisions when it comes to love, marriage, and reproduction -- why do you think singles bars are so popular?" he noted. "At worst, ronsangels.com offers some wealthy people one more way to be shallow. At best, it represents the miracle of capitalism facilitating the miracle of life."
But again, whether you love or hate the idea of online ova auctions, the final question remains: Who decides?
"It comes down to two choices: Either you decide, or the government decides," said Dasbach. "Libertarians think that allowing a site like ronsangels.com is a lot less dangerous than allowing ethically challenged politicians like Bill Clinton or Ted Kennedy to make the decision for you."
Design copyright Scars Publications and Design. Copyright of individual pieces remain with the author. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted without express permission from the author.
