Fragmentary Sexuality: the Transnational Gestational Surrogacy Market in Thailand and the Nationalist “Baby Gammy” Scandal
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Published:
Aug 24, 2016
Keywords:
Nationalism, Surrogacy
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Abstract
Using Emily Martin's 1987 ethnographic analysis of female bodies in biomedical settings, this paper investigates the illegal transnational gestational surrogacy market based in Thailand by examining nationalist and gendered rhetoric found on Thai surrogacy clinic websites and in the international media coverage of the "Baby Gammy" scandal of 2014.
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Condon, Natalie. 2016. “Fragmentary Sexuality: The Transnational Gestational Surrogacy Market in Thailand and the Nationalist ‘Baby Gammy’ Scandal”. Radicle: Reed Anthropology Review 1 (1). https://radiclejournal.org/index.php/rrar/article/view/13.
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References
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Bangkok Surrogacy. “Why Choose Us.” Accessed May 3, 2016. http://www.bangkoksurrogacy.com/about-us.
Become Parents. “Surrogate Interview Bangkok Surrogacy, Thailand.” YouTube video, 1:23. February 5, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlive8jeB8o.
Cohen, Erik. 2015. “Surrogacy as international business and national disgrace of Thailand.” Asian Anthropology 14(2): 115-132. Accessed April 26, 2016. doi: 10.1080/1683478X.2015.1046034.
Das, Veena. 1995. “National Honor and Practical Kinship: Unwanted Women and Children.” In Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction, edited by Faye D. Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, 212-233. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Das, Veena. 2008. “Violence, Gender, and Subjectivity.” Annual Review of Anthropology 37: 283-299.
Enloe, Cynthia. (1989) 2000. “Nationalism and Masculinity.” In Bananas, Beaches, and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics, 42-64. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Frank, Zippi Brand. Google Baby. DVD. Directed by Zippi Brand Frank. New York, NY: Brandcom Productions, 2009.
Head, Jonathan. “Thailand bans commercial surrogacy for foreigners.” BBC News Asia, February 20, 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31546717.
Head, Jonathan. “Thailand’s crackdown on ‘wombs for rent’.” BBC News Asia, February 20, 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31556597.
Loos, Tamara. 2006. Subject Siam: Family, Law, and Colonial Modernity in Thailand. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
Martin, Emily. (1987) 2001. The Woman in the Body: a Cultural Analysis of Reproduction. Boston: Beacon Press.
Murdoch, Lindsay. “Cambodia next for those seeking babies.” The Age (Melbourne), October 30, 2015.
Murdoch, Lindsay. “Gammy: Surrogate mother threatens to sue Australian parents.” Times (Canberra), August 4, 2014. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/world/gammy-surrogate-mother-threatens-to-sue-australian-parents-20140804-1005fv.html.
New Life Cambodia. “Upcoming Branches.” Accessed May 3, 2016. http://www.newlifecambodia.net/upcoming-branches/.
“New Thai surrogacy law bans foreigners.” Special Broadcasting Service, August 1, 2015. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/07/31/new-thai-surrogacy-law-bans-foreigners.
Strathern, Marilyn. 1995. “Displacing Knowledge: Technology and the Consequences for Kinship.” In Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction, edited by Faye D. Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, 346-363. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Thailand Fertility. “Caucasian Egg Donor Program.” Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.thailandfertility.com/caucasian-egg-donors.
Thailand Fertility. “Online Consultancy.” Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.thailandfertility.com/online-consultancy.
Thailand Fertility. “Surrogacy.” Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.thailandfertility.com/surrogate-mother.
Whittaker, Andrea. 2014. “Merit and Money: The situated ethics of transnational commercial surrogacy in Thailand.” International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics 7(2): 100-120.
Bangkok Surrogacy. “Why Choose Us.” Accessed May 3, 2016. http://www.bangkoksurrogacy.com/about-us.
Become Parents. “Surrogate Interview Bangkok Surrogacy, Thailand.” YouTube video, 1:23. February 5, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlive8jeB8o.
Cohen, Erik. 2015. “Surrogacy as international business and national disgrace of Thailand.” Asian Anthropology 14(2): 115-132. Accessed April 26, 2016. doi: 10.1080/1683478X.2015.1046034.
Das, Veena. 1995. “National Honor and Practical Kinship: Unwanted Women and Children.” In Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction, edited by Faye D. Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, 212-233. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Das, Veena. 2008. “Violence, Gender, and Subjectivity.” Annual Review of Anthropology 37: 283-299.
Enloe, Cynthia. (1989) 2000. “Nationalism and Masculinity.” In Bananas, Beaches, and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics, 42-64. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Frank, Zippi Brand. Google Baby. DVD. Directed by Zippi Brand Frank. New York, NY: Brandcom Productions, 2009.
Head, Jonathan. “Thailand bans commercial surrogacy for foreigners.” BBC News Asia, February 20, 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31546717.
Head, Jonathan. “Thailand’s crackdown on ‘wombs for rent’.” BBC News Asia, February 20, 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31556597.
Loos, Tamara. 2006. Subject Siam: Family, Law, and Colonial Modernity in Thailand. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
Martin, Emily. (1987) 2001. The Woman in the Body: a Cultural Analysis of Reproduction. Boston: Beacon Press.
Murdoch, Lindsay. “Cambodia next for those seeking babies.” The Age (Melbourne), October 30, 2015.
Murdoch, Lindsay. “Gammy: Surrogate mother threatens to sue Australian parents.” Times (Canberra), August 4, 2014. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/world/gammy-surrogate-mother-threatens-to-sue-australian-parents-20140804-1005fv.html.
New Life Cambodia. “Upcoming Branches.” Accessed May 3, 2016. http://www.newlifecambodia.net/upcoming-branches/.
“New Thai surrogacy law bans foreigners.” Special Broadcasting Service, August 1, 2015. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/07/31/new-thai-surrogacy-law-bans-foreigners.
Strathern, Marilyn. 1995. “Displacing Knowledge: Technology and the Consequences for Kinship.” In Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction, edited by Faye D. Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, 346-363. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Thailand Fertility. “Caucasian Egg Donor Program.” Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.thailandfertility.com/caucasian-egg-donors.
Thailand Fertility. “Online Consultancy.” Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.thailandfertility.com/online-consultancy.
Thailand Fertility. “Surrogacy.” Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.thailandfertility.com/surrogate-mother.
Whittaker, Andrea. 2014. “Merit and Money: The situated ethics of transnational commercial surrogacy in Thailand.” International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics 7(2): 100-120.