Demand for American Sperm Is Skyrocketing in Brazil(wsj.com)
wsj.com
Demand for American Sperm Is Skyrocketing in Brazil
https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-mixed-race-brazil-sperm-imports-from-u-s-whites-are-booming-1521711000
48 comments
Violence against women, misogynistic, neurotic homophobic society; the LGBT against racism and all this...then guess what: demand for blue eyed, white skin men sperm is skyrocketing. Somethings will never change, it's sad!
As a Brazilian, this is not surprising, as being white in Brazil is socially advantageous.
However, as a white person, I must correct with facts the erroneous idea that there are few whites in Brazil. That sentence in the article is mostly based on the old prejudice that south of the border everyone is the same.
Especially in the southern area (Sao Paolo included), brazilians are mostly white, with the majority descending from Italians, Portuguese and Germans. Really, this prejudice is old and should stop in the information era we live in. Whites make 48% of the Brazilian population.
But of course, many white Americans have Irish, English and German background which have the lighter of the tones of the white race. I’m not contesting that these women are after such appearance and that it’s easier to find it from donors in the US than in Brazil.
However, as a white person, I must correct with facts the erroneous idea that there are few whites in Brazil. That sentence in the article is mostly based on the old prejudice that south of the border everyone is the same.
Especially in the southern area (Sao Paolo included), brazilians are mostly white, with the majority descending from Italians, Portuguese and Germans. Really, this prejudice is old and should stop in the information era we live in. Whites make 48% of the Brazilian population.
But of course, many white Americans have Irish, English and German background which have the lighter of the tones of the white race. I’m not contesting that these women are after such appearance and that it’s easier to find it from donors in the US than in Brazil.
As a Brazilian from Sao Paulo, I used to consider myself white. But now I live in North America, and I don't think that anymore.
If you think about, many very white people in Brazil get nicknamed "Alemão" (German), independently of their origins. That's a sign that we are not so white after all.
If you think about, many very white people in Brazil get nicknamed "Alemão" (German), independently of their origins. That's a sign that we are not so white after all.
The white/non-white dichotomy is purely an American construct. When they say "white" they mean "anglo-saxon". In my opinion anglo-saxons are actually red, not white, but that's a differnt argument.
The rest of the world uses ethnicity/descent to describe skin colour/appearance.
The rest of the world uses ethnicity/descent to describe skin colour/appearance.
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It's paywalled but I wonder if one of the reasons is the Zika virus[1]?
Like if a Brazilian male partner is infected, would they try to find a non-brazilian(to be safe since it's asymptomatic) sperm donor?
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Zika_virus_epi...
> It was estimated that 1.5 million people were infected by Zika in Brazil, with over 3,500 cases of microcephaly reported between October 2015 and January 2016.
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zika_virus
EDIT: I don't care about the karma but I am curious what part of this comment is attracting the downvotes?
Like if a Brazilian male partner is infected, would they try to find a non-brazilian(to be safe since it's asymptomatic) sperm donor?
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Zika_virus_epi...
> It was estimated that 1.5 million people were infected by Zika in Brazil, with over 3,500 cases of microcephaly reported between October 2015 and January 2016.
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zika_virus
EDIT: I don't care about the karma but I am curious what part of this comment is attracting the downvotes?
1) Is there any evidence that makes infected with the Zika vírus will transmit it to their children?
2) Is there any evidence that males will be infected forever and won't be able to have children?
3) Poor people don't import US sperm, rich people do. Rich people also are not the demographic impacted by Zika.
It's mentioned in the article they are doing it for white genes.
2) Is there any evidence that males will be infected forever and won't be able to have children?
3) Poor people don't import US sperm, rich people do. Rich people also are not the demographic impacted by Zika.
It's mentioned in the article they are doing it for white genes.
I wasn't trying to claim anything, was just throwing an idea out there. To try to answer some of your questions (not even as an informed layman, just someone who skimmed a wiki):
1) Yes. The whole scare around zika was that it causes birth defects if the mother has it (and the mother can get it transmitted sexually from the father). It was so bad that countries controversially advised all their women to "delay pregnancy until more is known about the virus and its impact on fetal development." See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Zika_virus_epi...
2) Seems like it's still being studied since it's such a new disease. At least for now there's no cure and vaccines are still in the early stages. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Zika_virus_epi...
3) Mosquitoes don't care if you're rich or poor (j/k I do get your point). But if I were a rich person in brazil, I could and would take every possible preventative measure to avoid problems in a pregnancy.
The white genes argument doesn't make sense to me because they have a pretty large (like 50%?) local white population. But I guess my zika argument is pretty ridiculous even if there are tons of paranoid rich folks.
1) Yes. The whole scare around zika was that it causes birth defects if the mother has it (and the mother can get it transmitted sexually from the father). It was so bad that countries controversially advised all their women to "delay pregnancy until more is known about the virus and its impact on fetal development." See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Zika_virus_epi...
2) Seems like it's still being studied since it's such a new disease. At least for now there's no cure and vaccines are still in the early stages. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Zika_virus_epi...
3) Mosquitoes don't care if you're rich or poor (j/k I do get your point). But if I were a rich person in brazil, I could and would take every possible preventative measure to avoid problems in a pregnancy.
The white genes argument doesn't make sense to me because they have a pretty large (like 50%?) local white population. But I guess my zika argument is pretty ridiculous even if there are tons of paranoid rich folks.
Who knows why people downvoted
Too create the reality they want to see, and hide the reality that is?
I didn’t realize this was one of our exports.
Instead of raising levies on cheap imports, increasing inflation for consumers, maybe America should concentrate on this new export opportunity. Maybe they can do a deal with China?
Manufacturing is on the rise in america once again.
You've got the white stuff.
Handcrafted with love in the USA. One-eyed eel milk stew.
Isn't Brazil in America?
America is a commonly-used short form for the United States of America, as it is in this case. (Edit to add: Actually, it's even more specific than that: American is the commonly accepted demonym for citizens of the United States, which is how it's used here.) To refer to the landmasses including North and South America, the term the Americas is typically used.
So maybe now can understand the undertone of the famous phrase "America for the Americans" of the Monroe Doctrine
The funny thing about it, is that at the time the name "United States of America" came to be, "America" was the full continent and the name of the new nation simply reflected the fact that it was a union of states in that continent. I think the name "America" for the country got stronger because people from there were calling them selves "Americans" for a lack of better demonym.
Hard to believe 'United Statesians' didn't get more traction :)
Actually, in Portuguese and Spanish there is the word "estadounidense" that is basically "Unitedstatizen". But this is a formal word, used only in books (and Wikipedia). At least in Brazil, we use "americano" in the day by day for both someone born in the USA or in the continent (which is still called "America", no plural).
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> America is a commonly-used short form for the United States of America
Perhaps someone from Americas - America can comment how common this is in their country?
Perhaps someone from Americas - America can comment how common this is in their country?
That's certainly fair (and to be clear, when using Americas in English, the phrase is the Americas, including the definite article), though it would also be fair to restrict it to the English language, as names change depending on the the language. For example, Hungary in English is Ungarn in German (Deutsch) and Magyarország in Hungarian (Magyar). I'm not going to insist that Germans should use Hungary or Magyarország auf Deutsch.
As a first approximation using Google Translate, American translates as americano in both Portuguese and Spanish, while Mexican and Brazilian, for example, translate as mexicano and brasileño (Spanish) and brasileiro (Portuguese), respectively. I didn't find a way to limit this to particular locales as would be appropriate. These types of things can be subtle, and I'm interested to hear from good sources that can provide more insight.
As a first approximation using Google Translate, American translates as americano in both Portuguese and Spanish, while Mexican and Brazilian, for example, translate as mexicano and brasileño (Spanish) and brasileiro (Portuguese), respectively. I didn't find a way to limit this to particular locales as would be appropriate. These types of things can be subtle, and I'm interested to hear from good sources that can provide more insight.
Paywalled but...wonder if they could apply for US citizenship since technically their father is a USian?
Kind of reminds me of another article I saw a while back about Chinese women coming to the US to give birth so their children would have the option of becoming a US citizen if they wanted to later in life. Apparently there's a big business built around it.
--edit--
Wow, downvoted for pondering on a simple question...
Kind of reminds me of another article I saw a while back about Chinese women coming to the US to give birth so their children would have the option of becoming a US citizen if they wanted to later in life. Apparently there's a big business built around it.
--edit--
Wow, downvoted for pondering on a simple question...
I can’t find any references after five minutes searching but I believe there needs to be some minimal involvement and connection on the father’s part for a child to inherit US citizenship. This is to avoid children of prostitutes in countries with US military bases claiming citizenship, more or less. Sperm donation is legally regulated such that no rights or responsibilities attach to the children this produced. If child support can’t be claimed citizenship can’t.
Oh god. Propaganda and misinformation. Two solid factors for the demise of your country. Factors which have led to the election of a person like Donald Trump as the president!
I know the HuffPost is bad but not that bad...
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/01/china-us-birth-tou...
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/01/china-us-birth-tou...
Over my 35-year career in electronics and software I've been most concerned that the U.S has almost completely out-sourced it's manufacturing capability further exacerbating the import/export balance. <sarcasm>It's good to see that we've found another product category that we're good at producing and that seems to have demand outside our borders!</sarcasm>
> He sees children as a way to perpetuate his genes and ensure his existence beyond death. “It’s an atheist’s way to achieve immortality,” he said.
This desire is futile and I hope it's not really anchored in the atheist mindset.
This desire is futile and I hope it's not really anchored in the atheist mindset.
I think he's speaking with somewhat exaggerated language, I doubt he literally thinks it will make him immortal.
It will, however, mean that something of him will continue on after he dies. It's hardly surprising someone may feel that way- I do, too. My children are not me, but they are what I'll leave behind, to hopefully have a positive effect on the world after me.
It will, however, mean that something of him will continue on after he dies. It's hardly surprising someone may feel that way- I do, too. My children are not me, but they are what I'll leave behind, to hopefully have a positive effect on the world after me.
I'd like very much to know where did he get this atheist's way from?
More like the fool's way to achieve immortality
Information is the one true faith-agnostic way to both achieve greatness and exist eternally. For those who aren't spiritually inclined, the universe's mysteries are still just as shrouded and tempting reconciliation. For those who seek ascension, maybe solve RH or reveal the GUT of the universe, create digital life or tackle the hard consciousess problem - maybe then Light pokes his head out and says Hi, and then you explode into a phantasmagoric cherry burst of firework mist. Or maybe nothing happens. Maybe you just eventually die. But happily, because you did what you could to not be such a mortal fuck: dreamed..executed..died. Hawking radiation forever traced the paths of all that rise after. Fall before knowledge.
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500 donations a year do not justify that title for me.
500 is low compared to the overall brazilian population, but it is significant when you consider it is the wealthy brazilians ( a small portion of the brazilian population ) who are doing this. It's the wealthy elite who drive society so it is an interesting take on the elite's mindset and can shed a light on parts of brazilian society/character/ethos/etc.
In the hispanic and the greater spanish colonial world - "white is right" is a core ethic. It's how the spaniards ( with low numbers ) managed to rule so much of the native americans, asians, africans, etc for hundreds of years. It's interesting to know this also played a role in portuguese colonial world as well.
In the hispanic and the greater spanish colonial world - "white is right" is a core ethic. It's how the spaniards ( with low numbers ) managed to rule so much of the native americans, asians, africans, etc for hundreds of years. It's interesting to know this also played a role in portuguese colonial world as well.
500 of anything is actually a lot for anything fertility related.
Consider that despite all the media attention surrounding women with careers freezing their eggs, statistically the percent of women who actually do this rounds down to 0%. In total less than 5,000 babies worldwide have been born this way, as compared with the 135M babies born each year.
Similarly, despite all the hype around banking cord blood, the actual number of families who do this is less than 1%. Most of those only do it because they got grants to do it for free due to some medical condition. And the number of times cord blood has actually been used to even attempt to treat some illness is less than 500 times total worldwide.
Consider that despite all the media attention surrounding women with careers freezing their eggs, statistically the percent of women who actually do this rounds down to 0%. In total less than 5,000 babies worldwide have been born this way, as compared with the 135M babies born each year.
Similarly, despite all the hype around banking cord blood, the actual number of families who do this is less than 1%. Most of those only do it because they got grants to do it for free due to some medical condition. And the number of times cord blood has actually been used to even attempt to treat some illness is less than 500 times total worldwide.
This happens for a single reason, briefly explained in the article:
> Unlike in the U.S., it is illegal to pay men to donate their sperm here, so domestic stocks are low and information about Brazilian donors sparse. “It basically says ‘brown eyes, brown hair, likes hamburgers’ and what their zodiac sign is—that’s it,” said Alessandra Oliva, 31, of the information available on local donors.
In Brazil they make very little information available about the donor - not enough to reach any conclusions about race. People who go to fertility clinics in Brazil are usually wealthy, wealthy people in Brazil are usually white, and people generally want their children to be the same race as themselves. So those couples look for the closest country where they can get "certifiably white" sperm for accessible prices, which happens to be the US.
The article makes this look like black and mixed-race Brazilians are trying to whiten themselves because of racism which is completely incorrect.
> Unlike in the U.S., it is illegal to pay men to donate their sperm here, so domestic stocks are low and information about Brazilian donors sparse. “It basically says ‘brown eyes, brown hair, likes hamburgers’ and what their zodiac sign is—that’s it,” said Alessandra Oliva, 31, of the information available on local donors.
In Brazil they make very little information available about the donor - not enough to reach any conclusions about race. People who go to fertility clinics in Brazil are usually wealthy, wealthy people in Brazil are usually white, and people generally want their children to be the same race as themselves. So those couples look for the closest country where they can get "certifiably white" sperm for accessible prices, which happens to be the US.
The article makes this look like black and mixed-race Brazilians are trying to whiten themselves because of racism which is completely incorrect.
Yeah the article is very misleading, possibly intentionally.
Strange headline. Last time I looked at a map, Brazil was part of America. Where else would they look for Sperm? Asia, Europe?
(Of course I read along and even before knew they meant the United Stated, but America is not the United States.)
This is slightly off topic since the focus of this article is racial demographics and economic standing in a culture, but it's interesting that Brazil, a country which has whole heartedly adopted chemical agriculture and monocropping practices finds themselves in a place where fertility rates per woman are lower than in the US, which has one of the lowest (and also heavily relies on chemical ag). As an investigative journalism piece, I think teasing out the effects of industrial agriculture from other social factors that contribute to people CHOOSING not to have children and relating that to fertility rates would be a much more substantive article than looking at sperm imports where n=500.
Material from Brazilian sperm banks is fully anonymous and nearly devoid of data: skin/eye color are provided -- and I think profession too. In contrast, American sperm banks provide a trainload of information: there are photos, various indicators of health and intelligence, etc.
It's not even a difference in legislation, it's a difference in the ethical guidelines of the respective medical associations.