Pope Francis Calling for a Worldwide Ban on Surrogacy Sparks Anger

Pope Francis call for a worldwide ban on surrogacy-based parenting, calling the practice “deplorable” and a “grave violation of the dignity of the child and the woman.” His call for a surrogacy ban has, of course, set the homosexual community ablaze.

Surrogacy is frequently utilized by homosexual and lesbian and gay males desiring children; consequently, pro-LGBT+ organizations are offended by Pope Francis’ remarks, which follow his landmark decision to permit priests to bless same-sex couples.

“I deem the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood deplorable; the practice represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs,” he commented.

“Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally.”

Often referred to as his “state of the world” speech, Francis, 87, delivered his remarks during a 45-minute address to Vatican-accredited diplomats.

Limited statistical data exists regarding the number of infants delivered via surrogacy. Several U.S. states and nations prohibit the practice globally because of ethical considerations. Advocates of the practice caution against the possibility of a “poverty bias” manifesting itself in favour of financially disadvantaged women who seek surrogacy.

As more women choose to delay pregnancy until later in life, when fertility wanes, and as more same-sex couples seek means to start families when they are unable to conceive naturally, interest in this topic continues to increase.

Surrogacy is prohibited in Italy, the nation encircling the Vatican. A legislative proposal supported by the right-wing coalition led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni seeks to amend the current prohibition by penalizing couples who travel abroad to undergo the procedure.

Pope Francis, who presides over the 1.35 billion Catholic population worldwide, affirmed the Vatican’s stance against gender theory. Gender theory posits that gender is multifaceted and ever-changing, transcending the simplistic dichotomy of male and female and encompassing factors beyond observable sex attributes.

He characterized the hypothesis as “extremely dangerous since it cancels differences in its claim to make everyone equal”.

 

Many Countries Banning Surrogacy

Surrogacy is a method of treating infertility in which one woman offers the services of another couple who are medically unable to conceive a child in exchange for the pregnancy of their child in her womb.

Regrettably, this procedure is exclusively accessible in a limited number of countries across the globe. Surrogacy procedures require intending parents to travel to foreign countries regularly.

Certain nations may permit surrogacy, but only under specific circumstances. Certain nations permit surrogacy on the condition that the intended parents undergo the procedure in a foreign country where it is legally sanctioned and not prohibited within their nation.

Certain jurisdictions prohibit foreign applicants from utilizing surrogacy and restrict its availability to residents only in exceptional circumstances that render international surrogacy unattainable. One instance pertains to India, where the execution of the procedure is exclusively possible among Indian citizens.

Other nations, such as those in the European Union or Australia, prohibit compensated surrogacy in favour of altruistic surrogacy, which requires the intended parents and the surrogate to refrain from any financial transactions during the surrogacy process.

Certain nations have prohibited surrogacy for moral, religious, or legal considerations. Although surrogacy may have been lawful in the past in these nations, the inability to regulate it may have led to its complete prohibition rather than developing a practical and legal framework.

Across the majority of Europe, surrogacy is a prohibited practice. The following nations are ineligible to serve as surrogacy bases worldwide: Turkey, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Estonia, and Moldavia.

Several states in the United States continue to enforce this prohibition despite the nation’s reputation as a leading destination for surrogacy arrangements. States, including New York, Arizona, Michigan, Indiana, and North Dakota, have enacted legislation that criminalizes surrogacy and its practitioners. They could face imprisonment or a monetary penalty.

Certain nations view surrogacy as unlawful and do not provide legal support for the practice. Surrogacy remains illegal in most European countries, including Estonia, Thailand, Moldavia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Thailand.

In addition, numerous Asian nations, including Turkey, Pakistan, Japan, China, and Saudi Arabia, prohibit surrogacy.
It is crucial to have an early understanding of the country’s laws, as the prohibition on surrogacy prevents the use of a surrogate from that nation.