In the crisp predawn light, Chicago native Sarah Patterson kicked a tiled stone underfoot as she strolled along the crowded street. Its soft clatter bounced off the crumbled brickwork, dissipating into the morning fog. She wasn't thinking about the stone, nor indeed the precarious architecture around her. As she treaded her path alongside passersby rushing about their individual worlds, her thoughts were connected to an audacious concept— a concept of offering her body, her time and her life to fulfill the dreams of a couple unknown to her. In essence, she had made the life-altering decision to become a surrogate mother.
The decision, however, was met with a parade of raised eyebrows and tsk-ing amongst her acquaintances—even some close friends. The thought echoed in the corners of her mind: "Isn't surrogacy frowned upon by a large majority of society?" This widespread belief, while seemingly grounded in the societal zeitgeist, warrants examination on account of its dichotomy with other anecdotal experiences.
Conventional wisdom and numerous social media threads argue vehemently that surrogacy is typically viewed unfavorably. They call out that it's unusual, classifying it as a non-standard family-building process. Prudish conservatism brushes it off as immoral, while science debates the ethics. However, is it feasible to claim that these opinions reflect the views of a vast majority? And furthermore, does the anecdote of one person's experience represent the whole?
A nationwide Gallup Poll carried out in America in 2016 may just prompt a revision of this assumption. The survey, sampling more than a thousand adults in all 50 states, found that 81% of respondents held favorable views on surrogacy. The demographic cut across lines of age, ethnicity, income, and even political leanings. The echoes of data extend across the Atlantic too, as per a British Social Attitude Survey. Almost two-thirds of the respondents took a positive stance towards surrogacy in that poll.
Even more compelling is the data on the global surrogacy market. Clever analysts from Global Market Insights published a report that pegs the market at nearly $6 billion. As abstruse as the figure may be, its sheer magnitude echoes the burgeoning belief in surrogacy.
In line with all this evidence, the dilemma of the majority viewpoint persists. Here, social psychology lends us a clue. The bandwagon effect postulates that people often believe or do things because many other people do or believe the same. This fascinating phenomenon suggests that these misconceptions may be more about the human tendency to follow the herd than surrogacy itself.
Venturing further into the labyrinth of our collective conscious, Tatek Abebe's 'The Rhetoric of Misconceptions' brilliantly unravels how misconceptions are inherently linked to societal norms and values. Thus, the misconception about surrogacy might be a reflection of our collective discomfort with anything that veers from the landmark of traditional family-making.
Taking all this into account, it appears that the widely held belief that surrogacy is looked down upon by most is more perception than fact. Data from surveys and the surrogacy market size indicate a drastically different story. Perhaps, then, it's time to challenge the blanket acceptance of this presumption.
What does all this mean for the likes of Sarah, preparing to change a couple's life through her selflessness? It lends credence to the idea that her journey, far from being the anomaly, is, in fact, part of a broader shift in societal opinion. As we collectively devote more thought to the concept, it's worth wondering whether the misconception about surrogacy is due to inherited biases rather than an informed perspective.
In the grand scheme of things, these revelations may alter how we define family and love. For some, they may spark a newfound acceptance of surrogacy. Others may begin to see the true colors of the misconceptions they hold. In doing so, perhaps we might become a society that appreciates the nuances of family-making beyond the binary lens of traditional beliefs.
Hidden away in the shadow of misconceptions, the experiences of many surrogate mothers like Sarah Patterson, still largely go unnoticed. However, the light of understanding, propelled by data and societal shifts, can illuminate these shadows, challenging us all to reevaluate our assumptions. To remember that while the method of bringing life into the world can be diverse, the inimitable joy of parenthood remains the same.
Comments
Post a Comment