(In response to “Science Makes Sex Obsolete”)

Out of all the different sections in this article, such as “Designer Babies” and “Ovarian Transplant”, the section “Manufactured Eggs and Sperm” captured my attention the most, particularly the prospect of homosexual men being able to have babies with genetic make-up from both men. For mammals, nature’s rules indicate that a female’s egg and a male’s sperm fuse together and exchange genetic material to eventually create an embryo, which grows into an individual. Dr. Gianpiero Palermo of Cornell University announced in 2001 that he and his team had used cloning techniques to create artificial haploid eggs. Regular cells have two sets of chromosomes, or are diploid. In order to receive a sperm’s chromosomes, the cell must go through haploidization, where half a cell’s chromosomes are ejected. The team of scientists removed the nucleus of a donor eggs and inserted an adult body cell, which fused to the egg. Once fusion occurred, the egg was fertilized with sperm. Although “fifty-two percent of the reconstituted eggs fertilized normally”, others did not develop as they should have. To fix this, the team inserting embryonic stem cells into the donor eggs instead of inserting the adult body cells. By doing this, the haploidization of the cells occurred and became sperm, creating embryos. Now imagine this process being used for gay men to make their very own babies; one man’s cell could be turned into an egg, which can then be fertilized by his partner’s sperm. The four main ways gay men can have children is through adoption, co-parenting, donor insemination, and surrogacy. It seems as if men will be able to have babies of their own (not that the babies obtained in the above mentioned ways were not the men’s) with both partner’s genes. Although this issue will undoubtedly be a controversial one and a much-heated topic, allowing homosexuals to create offspring is a beautiful thing (life in itself is beautiful), and I would very much give my support. I understand that there are thousands of children up for adoption in which homosexuals in relationships could adopt, but I think homosexuals should truly consider their options, especially if science makes it possible for them to have their genetically made babies.