By Lisa Handwerker 

In January 2001, a breaking news story announced that a well-known Italian infertility specialist, Dr. Severino Antinori and his colleague, Panayiotis M. Zavos, Professor of Reproductive Physiology at University of Kentucky, had plans to clone human beings within the next 12 to 24 months. Drawing on research including library, personal and media based information, this paper is a critique of human reproductive cloning and germ line alteration from the perspective of women and women’s health. I provide key definitions and discuss differences among and between women and women’s groups. While respecting these differences, I argue for consideration of a united position that opposes germ line alteration and human reproductive cloning because these new genetic technologies are not in the best interest of all women.

To make my argument, I highlight ten mis-conceptions including: 1) Women’s diseases, abilities, and personalities are genetically determined and thus, solutions to problems are genetically based. 2) The human genome project and human genome sequence is "neutral". 3) Germ line alteration and human reproductive cloning is relatively risk free and whatever risks exist will be worked out in a short time. 4) The commercialization of reproduction is not a problem and will not adversely impact women. 5) Germ line alterations and human reproductive cloning will save a dying child, replace a dead child and reduce human suffering. 6) Human genetic manipulation will not lead to the commodification of and geneticization of children. 7) Germ line alteration and human reproductive cloning cures the ‘incurably’ infertile and offers a last chance for a genetic connection. 8) Human genetic manipulation including reproductive cloning will rid society of all unwanted pregnancies. 9) Women who are anti-human reproductive cloning are anti-procreative liberty and anti-science and in a democratic society that is unacceptable and 10) Women who are anti-cloning are also anti-abortion.

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©2001 by Lisa Handwerker
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For additional information contact: lisahand@juno.com