The Varying Role of Donors: Experiments in New Family Formation

 

For this Oral History Project, I plan to interview sperm donors who helped conceive a child, with the expectation of having a relationship with that child. My goal is to create an archive that records the range of experiences of donor-related familial relations that do or do not form, and the individual histories of the relationships created with donor involvement. My motive for this project is firstly, to understand the range of experiences of donor fathers, and to create a resource that could help would-be donors understand the risks and rewards of becoming a donor parent. Secondly, the collection will be useful for those seeking to understand the early attempts at forming families made possible by new social norms. I wish to explore the many ways these relationships evolve and deviate from the original intent if there is contact between donors and the recipient of their donation.

 

I am interested in learning of instances of – and opportunities for – children to embrace multiple parental figures, including donor-parents in a culture that typically privileges 2 parents. I am a donor myself, and hearing the testimony of others in the same position could provide a way to understand my own experience better, as well as reveal examples of what others have done in similar situations.

 

After identifying narrators, I will engage in a pre-call to introduce myself, and to get a rough sense of the narrators’ background. In the call, I will answer questions about the project, and address any concerns or ambivalence. I will discuss the issues related to privacy and will ask participants to consider whether they would like to be anonymous or on the record. My goal is to make participants feel comfortable with the process in advance of the interview and become clear about any limitations.

​

If you're interested in participating in this oral history project, you can contact me at Loringm@gmail.com, or at 917 545-2373