The sperm banks say they have tried to recruit Black donors and want to meet their customers’ needs. “Over the years, we have spoken to African American fraternities and student organizations to try to increase our number of applicants. This has not been very successful,” California Cryobank’s Shamonki said. She added that “it’s proven to be challenging to hit the right tone and appeal to these donors rather than further alienate them.”
The Sperm Bank of California has had similar challenges. “Folks felt our ads were a little too urban. And so we really work very hard to come up with images that we feel resonated with the donors,” Campbell said.
I think they're trying to say that the black men they tried to recruit found the appeal racist. I wish there was more detail to the content of the appeal and more clarity about why it was offensive.
This story is highly promoted on the Washington Post front page — the second-most prominent headline. But the story focuses on the black women who want to have babies with black fathers. I don't think there's any discussion of white women who would like babies with black fathers.
One black woman who used a white man's sperm to father her child said people seeing her baby said things like "Of course she’s mixed.... You only wanted a light-skinned baby. You don’t like being Black." That is a special problem... a problem that exists because other people — some other people — are awful.
The highest-rated comment over there is from someone who quotes the line "a Black sperm donor who could give her a child that looked like her and shared her culture" and says "A baby doesn't have a culture. Culture is construct that a community creates."
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73 comments:
Sounds like a sticky situation.
I find it very odd that there are so many fatherless black children in the US
...and...
...a scarcity of black sperm in the sperm banks.
The supply chain really is jacked-up!
Black women and the cry in cryobank primed me to expect it to be about whining. Bad coinage.
Black folks, especially black men, don't trust the American medical establishment. I from the Tuskegee study to COVID, I can't say that I blame them. I am not giving a DNA sample to anyone, and I'm a middle aged white man. If I had black sons I wouldn't let them even consider the idea.
I think they’re afraid that future DNA testing will find them on the wrong end of a paternity suite.
Well that and the knowledge that the only thing women really want is their precious bodily fluids.
The same could be said for white woman, why not find a husband?
The premise of this article: black women have trouble finding sperm from black men...
I don't think there is a single word in this story that is true.
If they're having trouble finding guys to ejaculate for money with no strings attached they're clearly going about it the wrong way.
Wouldn't Black athletes and aspiring rappers or businessmen be concerned about paternity suits, if their careers took off?
Stop saying "sperm." It gives me flashbacks to those horrible days I spent with Ahab and Queequeg on the Pequod.
Black sperm is today's white whale.
Pretty sure they’d have no problem getting sperm from black men if they just did it the old fashioned way. Or are they going to sperm banks because they want to raise the child on their own, or with their infertile black husband?
I suppose a married woman doesn’t want to have to get that sperm the old fashioned way. But a single
Woman could. Oh, maybe their lesbians?
And I don’t think history supports a concern that the baby daddy will want to be a part of the child’s life? Oof, can we type that out loud?
Black guys aren’t stupid. They want to make a personal delivery of their sperm and without the middle man involved.
64% of Black children are in single-mom families. I don't think lack of sperm donations is the issue here. The only problem is the sellers of sperm are being beaten by the competition from unpaid volunteers.
I'm with Achilles. WaPo is a comic book. But it needs more pictures.
I wonder if they tried offering black sperm donors more money than white sperm donors? Perhaps not. I can see that charging black women more for sperm would be hard to swallow.
While color bias is intrinsic, diversity [dogma] is a progressive condition exploited for social, political, and economic leverage.
This a supply and demand problem. The sperm banks are clearly not paying producers enough. Donors are saying, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
Jiz brokers need to look into their competition, which likely is, ladies showing up to collect their semen in person. They're cutting out the middleman. What donor is going to jerk off into a cup when he can get laid? One who gets paid a lot.
Where's the Jerry Maguire for sperm donors? There's a big opportunity here for the right person.
I sense a money making opportunity. (Admission - I did not read the article.)
But IF the only criteria is sperm from a black man.... How many donors in, say, Zimbabwe would donate for $1 per load.
Hell go around the world and get a color chart of donors for Mommy to pick to increase the odds the infant will look to be the "right" shade....
Spring Thomas must be stopped.
'I wish there was more detail to the content of the appeal and more clarity about why it was offensive.'
Barry White would be even richer today...
Dave Begley commented: Black guys aren’t stupid. They want to make a personal delivery of their sperm and without the middle man involved.
Once more, right to the nut of the matter with the most reasonable explanation. Good work, Dave!
Agree that this is a market failure due to mispricing. The cryobankers need to jack up the reward —or get creative about sources. Why not partner with porn producers? They would be *swimming* with raw material.
"Over the years, we have spoken to African American fraternities and student organizations to try to increase our number of applicants."
There could be any number of police officers, truck drivers, construction workers who wanted to pick up some extra money.
If we were programmed to maximize our reproduction, men would be lined up outside the door of every sperm donor center. Clearly, they are not. This is a sociobiology conundrum. Is the reproductive instinct somehow dependent upon its being masked from its possessor?
"You hear that? You're covered in rejected black guy sperm. You look like a Kardashian.
NSFW
Distrustful of banks and the medical establishment prudent black men demand direct deposit.
A Black high school senior and star semen producer is sitting anxiously in his parents living room, surrounded by his family and friends, waiting for his agent's phone to ring.
OMG! OMG! It's Big Semen! They've picked him! They want our boy on the team! They're offering a contract! They want him to report to the facility first thing Monday morning. He's made it! All that hard work has paid off big time!
Hurray!
Meanwhile Russian semen is rotting on the docks of Sevastopol.
Well, I identify as black...
It's my personal opinion that Wilt Chamberlain should never have been allowed to use a condom, and we as a society should have taken full responsibility for each and every child conceived, for the betterment of the human gene pool.
That is a special problem... a problem that exists because other people — some other people — are awful.
Sartre was right.
That is a special problem... a problem that exists because other people — some other people — are awful.
Sartre was right.
"Meanwhile Russian semen is rotting on the docks of Sevastopol."
That doesn't sound at all like something a nazi would say. I guess that's why they are outlawing the Russian language in Ukraine. Not to worry though, when Ukraine is re-united by a NATO victory, all ethnic Russian citizens will be treated with the highest respect and sympathy.
"Meanwhile Russian semen is rotting on the docks of Sevastopol."
That doesn't sound at all like something a nazi would say. I guess that's why they are outlawing the Russian language in Ukraine. Not to worry though, when Ukraine is re-united by a NATO victory, all ethnic Russian citizens will be treated with the highest respect and sympathy.
Does WaPo not realize that a lot of black men (or their family members/friends) have probably been in the paternity suit rodeo and have a not unreasonable fear that if they donate they'll be hit up for child support ten years from now?
The problem with marriage is that there are so few good black men on the marriage market. Good in the senof being good husband material (job, no crim record, no drugs, not sleeping around etc. Also issues with husband's family)
One of the reasons is too many black men marrying white women. Black women absolutely hate interracial marriage for this reason. And have for 40 or more years.
Another is that black men look at black women, see all the drama (actual or perceived) and think "why bother". They can just have the sex and no drama.
Another of my first thoughts was the risk of being on the hook later. Several others have mentioned this so I'll just say ditto.
John stop fascism vote republican Henry
The problem with marriage is that there are so few good black men on the marriage market. Good in the senof being good husband material (job, no crim record, no drugs, not sleeping around etc. Also issues with husband's family)
One of the reasons is too many black men marrying white women. Black women absolutely hate interracial marriage for this reason. And have for 40 or more years.
Another is that black men look at black women, see all the drama (actual or perceived) and think "why bother". They can just have the sex and no drama.
Another of my first thoughts was the risk of being on the hook later. Several others have mentioned this so I'll just say ditto.
John stop fascism vote republican Henry
The problem with marriage is that there are so few good black men on the marriage market. Good in the senof being good husband material (job, no crim record, no drugs, not sleeping around etc. Also issues with husband's family)
One of the reasons is too many black men marrying white women. Black women absolutely hate interracial marriage for this reason. And have for 40 or more years.
Another is that black men look at black women, see all the drama (actual or perceived) and think "why bother". They can just have the sex and no drama.
Another of my first thoughts was the risk of being on the hook later. Several others have mentioned this so I'll just say ditto.
John stop fascism vote republican Henry
I'm guessing that these women are largely black professional women who have stable careers, college degrees, graduate degrees, etc. Their problem is that they want to find a black man to marry who has the same qualifiers, but those are in short supply. As for why they don't simply find some rando at the bar to knock them up: why would you want a kid from a guy you wouldn't be willing to marry? That risks passing on the very traits you don't find appealing to your progeny.
Would sperm donation cancel out father absenteeism?
Maybe the black feel as though the women are doing an end run. Google says "an end run" is something that you do in order to avoid something.
'Let me buy the only thing you are good for...' or something.
It has a patina of slavery dejavu all over again.
Jimmyjam at a premium?
Desperation.
Racial aspects aside, I've read that actually getting qualified, and being, a sperm donor is a complicated, time-consuming, annoying process. Pay appropriately, and they might solve the supply problem.
Given the preponderance of "baby daddy's" I don't see the problem.
"I wish there was more detail to the content of the appeal and more clarity about why it was offensive."
The "Wank all the way to the bank!" campaign got a flaccid response.
Maybe the mom-abees should consider adoption.
The dating pool for established black women is small for to the higher level of incarceration. If they're looking for someone with a job, no record, and not too many kids elsewhere, competition is heavy.
Sperm donation is not a casual commitment. Clinics typically require donation every couple of days over a period of several months, and abstention from any other sexual activity (whether alone or in pairs). One can understand why black guys might decide that there are easier options out there.
is it too soon : will we see cryo-vials lying side-by-side securely fastened flying through the air from Africa to USA [financed by etc.]
What's is at the root of this problem?
Black women want to have Black children by Black men, but don't want Black men as their husband.
I think they're trying to say that the black men they tried to recruit found the appeal racist
Well, the demand for "black sperm" is racist, so why shouldn't the appeal be?
Its a population problem.
I not black sperm.
It is genetic material, carrying the traits attractive to buyers, that also has to be African descent. Is that Pure African? 75%, 50%, 37.5%? Then the women want attractive traits. IQ would be one. Does search go back one generation? Medical health, Artistic, gregarious, athletic. But I come back to purity. ~70% of black babies are single mother births. With no family history available, will the sperm bank even consider a donor, that can't fill out his own fathers history, with reference to the donors, fathers, known traits.
Seems to me the decimation of the Black family is the cause for this anomaly. And the Black female seeking the anonymous donor, is perpetuating the conditions, the Black woman is encountering.
how does Professora + Meade social profile compare to what he said?
Mr Wibble said...
I'm guessing that these women are largely black professional women who have stable careers, college degrees, graduate degrees, etc. Their problem is that they want to find a black man to marry who has the same qualifiers, but those are in short supply. As for why they don't simply find some rando at the bar to knock them up: why would you want a kid from a guy you wouldn't be willing to marry? That risks passing on the very traits you don't find appealing to your progeny.
tim in vermont said...That doesn't sound at all like something a nazi would say.
Huh? Do I usually sound like a Nazi?
“Donors are saying, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.“
Have I missed something all these years? Is this old Dylan song a metaphor for polygyny?
In other "urban" news, I was in Milwaukee saw about a block away from a Planned Parenthood facility, a storefront advertising vaginal steaming.
I think what black men are (not) saying is "If you want my mojo come and get it the old fashioned way. Or don't you really want a black man as such?" But what do I know?
Something which is not undergoing a shortage - black children - but only if black women would stop murdering them in the womb.
I think we need a new tag!
Not a Splooge Stooge
or maybe
Splooge Stooge?
A lot of the primo jizz is intercepted by W/white gals, I think.
Maybe something more like a sperm savings-and-loan would work.
Hang on, is that okay? Wanting to have a baby only with someone of a certain race--that's ok??
Man, the rules for what is and what isn't racist are so unpredictable.
sperm shortage - opinion
If you want more sperm donors, remove the ability to sue a donor for paternity.
sperm shortage - opinion
If you want more sperm donors, remove the ability to sue a donor for paternity.
Addendum:
If you want to learn more, JustPearyThings spends a large amount of time on this very topic. Basically, black men are well aware of the dangers of dating, marriage and sperm theft/fraud and their view of modern women is that of a garden implement.
When you get that feeling, you need vaginal steaming.
Va-gin-al steeeee-ming.
how does Professora + Meade social profile compare to what he said?
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I wasn't here for the courtship, but I assume that she was part her childbearing years by that point, and already had a son. That's going to make it less of an issue.
I think Dave Begley and Mikee just after are right on the real issue. I'll only add a possible misconception of responsibility after pregnancy. Why miss out on the fun only to get stuck with 18 years? Convincing them that's not the case wouldn't be easy.
The reduction in numbers of bulls also is due to technology called genomics, or genotyping, which is a method of testing male and female cattle to identify which ones possess the most advantageous genetics. The co-op then knows which animals to raise for breeding and which ones to use for other purposes.
Population shifts at Genex
I wish there was more detail to the content of the appeal and more clarity about why it was offensive.
Isn't it always the way? If the story is about something offensive, they're not going to tell you what the offensive thing is. But I think we do know there isn't much call for white women wanting black sperm, because if there was, the story would be about white women stealing black babies.
robother said...Wouldn't Black athletes and aspiring rappers or businessmen be concerned about paternity suits, if their careers took off?
Great point. Good luck proving you never had sex with that woman who's child is genetically yours.
No Bob, you don’t, but that line sounded very much like something that a nazi obsessed with ethnic hatred might say, especially when apropos of nothing. What brought the supposed genetic inferiority of the Russians into this conversation?
@ tim
If you've read my comments on Ukraine posts, you know we are closely aligned in our skeptical views of the war.
"Meanwhile Russian semen is rotting on the docks of Sevastopol." was a joke. I thought it was funny. I still think so. Lighten up a little. It never occurred to me that Russians are genetically inferior. I was thinking about the sanctions on all things Russian. And about what the internet hive-mind that is western culture these days can suddenly decide is desirable and undesirable.
Fashion News for the Publicly Virtuous: The new fall colors for human baby skin are trending darker this year. Getting caught with a turkey baster full of Russian semen is social suicide, worse than wearing white shoes after Labor Day, and importers say Ukrainian semen is flying off the shelves in Europe and America.
Aren't sperm donors legally protected from paternity suits and their anonymity being exposed? I can't imagine any man with sense and prospects donating otherwise. The law varies by state, but they're probably similar. There aren't back alley fertility clinics?
"Aren't sperm donors legally protected from paternity suits and their anonymity being exposed?"
Sure. Are you willing to bet on that protection staying in place for the next 25 years?
Especially when the outcome of the bet is either: 1) You bet correctly. You stay anonymous and get a small payment; or: 2) You bet incorrectly. You suddenly have several unexpected children and you owe $250,000 to each one's mother.
This is not the least bit a problem with white America. This is a problem with Black men not willing to donate to sperm banks. It's a cultural thing. But the New York Times will not call them out for this.
Aren't sperm donors legally protected from paternity suits and their anonymity being exposed?
There was one case where a woman fished a condom out of the garbage can, used it to impregnate herself.
And then sued the poor guy for child support.
I think the splooge stooge posts are Althouse at her worst. That's like two bad posts out of tens of thousands of cool ones.
Anyway, I wouldn't assume the legal system is sympathetic to males or men in any sort of family conflict. All the sympathies go in the other direction. It's kind of instructive to watch the documentary The Red Pill.
The liberal feminist who was running that documentary wanted to understand the men's rights movement. And what she found, over and over, where men who had been devastated by the legal system in custody disputes and sex discrimination. And she also interviewed feminists, and all they could talk about is money, money, money.
So for her that was an eye-opening experience. And that's another feminist who became a humanist.
I don't know what the legal status is for sperm donors. But I wouldn't assume that you're anonymous, or that you are immune to getting hit up for financial support. Feminists don't believe in equal protection, or human rights. They are women first, and the rest of humanity is in second place. (That includes little girls).
Here is Cassie Jaye giving a Ted Talk about her experience making that film.
Now that she's off-narrative she's going to have a hell of a time getting funding for her work.
Maybe the 'shortage' is partially due to the fact that black men who grew up in households without a father or father figure, have no interest in perpetuating that cycle.
I've never understood the attraction of sperm donation. I figure the vast majority of donors really need the cash or the ego stroke (intentional word choice), though some might say they have altruistic motives. But most donations are not the genetic material a woman should seem to choose for artificial insemination. I guess any port in a storm, in a reverse kind of way.
But I'd advise anyone to consider the possibility that the laws regarding child support and parent identification might change. I grew up when biological parents were guaranteed anonymity when giving up a child for adoption. A lot of those people haven't gotten that or can be sure they still will. If a court can impose support obligations on the male victim of statutory rape as I read the other day, absolutely nothing is off the table with the wrong judge or judges.
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