The stories unheard - giving a voice to donor conceived offspring

From, Signe Myhre

4. term

Techno-Anthropology, Master

2016

2016-09-01

64

I den offentlige debat om anonym sæd- eller ægdonation—hvor donorens identitet er ukendt—bliver perspektivet fra mennesker, der er undfanget ved donation, sjældent hørt. Denne rapport undersøger, hvordan det kan opleves at have en anonym donorbaggrund. Gennem interviews med fem voksne, der er donorundfangede, ser jeg på, hvordan de reflekterer over deres situation, og hvordan den har formet deres forståelse af slægtskab og familie. Resultaterne peger på, at når forældre holder et barns donoroprindelse hemmelig, kan det få stor betydning for relationen mellem forældre og barn. At få det at vide senere påvirker også, hvordan deltagerne ser på sig selv. På den baggrund foreslår jeg et mere præcist sprog for donor-familier, der tydeligt skelner mellem forældre og donorer, for at mindske forvirring og skuffelser i fremtiden.

In public debates about anonymous gamete donation—when sperm or egg donors are not identified—the perspectives of people conceived this way are rarely heard. This report explores what it can be like to grow up with an anonymous donor background. Through interviews with five adults who are donor-conceived, I examine how they reflect on their experiences and how these have shaped their ideas about kinship and family. The findings suggest that when parents keep a child’s donor origins secret, it can significantly affect the parent–child relationship. Learning about donor origins later also influences how participants see themselves. Based on these accounts, I propose developing clearer language for donor families that distinguishes between parents and donors, to reduce confusion and prevent disappointment in the future.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

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From, Signe Myhre:

• The stories unheard - giving a voice to donor conceived offspring (2016)