Edition 95: The Future of Fertility with Silvia Guerini
Mar 7, 2024
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Explore the future of fertility with Silvia Guerini, global news updates from Gaza and the UK, a powerful song by Alanis Morissette, an interview segment with Guerini, and a commentary on female fertility under patriarchy. Delve into ethical dilemmas of artificial reproduction and the intersection of feminism, reproduction, and technology. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions on transhumanism, artificial reproduction, and societal shifts.
Artificial reproduction technologies challenge traditional family structures and commodify human conception.
Feminist resistance is crucial to combat the societal pressure on women tied to motherhood and fertility.
Deep dives
Impacts of Fertility Technologies on Society
Fertility technologies and artificial reproduction pose significant challenges to society as they impact traditional notions of procreation and redefine the roles of motherhood. The speaker discusses how artificial reproduction technologies lead to the medicalization and commercialization of human conception, moving towards human genetic modification. The emphasis is on the erasure of traditional family structures and the transformation of the procreative process into a bio-marketing endeavor. These advancements raise ethical concerns about the manipulation and commodification of human life, reflecting a broader transhumanist agenda.
Gender Ideology and Artificial Reproduction
The discussion delves into how artificial reproduction technologies are linked to a transhumanist, rather than a patriarchal, imperative. The focus shifts towards reshaping society through artificial procreation, aiming to create a neutral individual detached from biological ties and grounded realities. This approach challenges the traditional understanding of procreation, sexed roots, and human identity, emphasizing the control and modification of the procreative process. Gender ideology is critiqued for promoting synthetic illusions and dissociating individuals from their natural, sexed bodies.
Critique of Female Value and Reproductive Rights
A critical exploration highlights how historically, women's value has been tied to their fertility and role in motherhood, reinforcing heteropatriarchal norms. The analysis points out the societal pressure on women to prioritize motherhood and fertility, often at the expense of their autonomy and individual worth. The conversation underscores how societal expectations equate a woman's value with her reproductive capacity, perpetuating gender stereotypes and limiting women's agency over their bodies and reproductive choices.
Resistance Against Technological Reproduction
The podcast underscores the urgent need for feminist resistance against artificial reproduction technologies and the commodification of human life. It stresses the importance of opposing all forms of artificial reproduction to safeguard human dignity and agency. The speaker advocates for women's control over their reproductive rights, emphasizing the detrimental implications of delegating reproduction to technological interventions controlled by wealthy individuals. This resistance aims to protect the integrity of human life and prevent the dehumanization inherent in commercialized reproductive practices.
Welcome to our 95th podcast in a monthly series that began back in May of 2016!
We are happy to present the work of Silvia Guerini this month as captured by WLRN member aurora linnea. Ms. Guerini released a book called From the 'Neutral' Body to the Post-Human Cyborg published by Spinifex Press in October.
First up, hear aurora greet the listener and introduce the content of the show before Mary O'Neill delivers our world news segment that includes stories from Gaza, the UK, and the US. There are supplemental stories added by Jenna and Jocelyn to conclude the segment. Here is the link promised about the letter from Jewish women calling for an end to the weaponization of rape and sexual assault in the war in the Middle East: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJfU_ooRqCKA8u3-PB8mV0FBkqoBelFN1VH_u3-MqWWQdFXQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2pRNTuGxdhtCNIbqXLAq5240Ex8q2NYLfd5oO8mKJvO0VQ2E_YLgbd9Os
Next, enjoy the song Heart of the House by Alanis Morissette before Emily introduces the WLRN interview segment with Silvia Guerini as read by Jenna and aurora.
The interview segment is followed by the song "Kill the Messenger" by Shawn Colvin.
Finally, be sure to stay tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet SheOwl's poignant commentary on the state of female fertility and reproduction under patriarchy.
Thanks, as always, dear listeners, for staying tuned to WLRN, YOUR Feminist Community Powered Radio Station.
Statement from Margaret, WLRN's graphic designer, about the cover this month:
"With the images I create, my intent is to be more suggestive than literal. The primary image is a Petri dish with ova. The grid over the top of it all is from a photo I took during an eclipse (the sun shining through a patio chair with holes) - represents people trying to control nature with technology. The dots allude to women’s ova waiting to be fertilized with a machine (some of the dots within dots were created through layering). An image of the machine used to insert sperm into eggs in a Petri dish is in the background overlayed on top of some of the silhouettes of women. The silhouettes of women - are meant to look erased and/or distressed. I use ‘Procreate’ on an iPad to layer images and combine colors and textures, as well as adding text and information."
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