Hard times giving extra load to local sperm banks
By Jason Buckland, Sympatico / MSN Finance
Just so you know, that’s about the cleanest title I could think to use here.
In a recession, we turn to a lot of things to make ends meet; some people chop their cell phone plans in half; some ditch their cars in lieu of public transit; some deal without HDTV ‘cause it costs more than what LL Cool J spends each year on lip balm.
Others, though, take matters in their own hands.
Donations to sperm banks – yes, sperm banks – are apparently way up these days as men take advantage of what Minyanville calls a “long … considered get-rich-quick scheme” for guys.
Several donor clinics across the U.S. tell the website that applicants have increased about 15-20% since the recession hit. And while it’s uplifting to think thousands of young men are rushing to donate their DNA just to benefit couples in need, that ain’t likely the case.
According to Minyanville, the majority of new applicants list an “economic incentive” to offering their sample but, quite frankly, it’s hard to blame them.
Donors (in the U.S., at least) can make up to $100 per sample, twice a week. I don’t mean to break your calculator, but that can add up to about $10,400 of extra income per year, which doesn’t include the added joy of becoming the Shawn Kemp of your local area code.
So, bear with me for the inappropriate parallel, but why – with an economy in rags – aren’t more men becoming part-time hand labourers if it could mean being able to keep paying their daughters' way through school?
Well, I’m glad I asked. As it turns out, while applicants are through the roof, enhanced procreation technology has made becoming a workable sperm donor pretty difficult.
Because of ever-improving science helping couples conceive when they once could not, now only the “best and brightest sperm ever make it to market,” according to the article.
In order to even be considered to make some extra cash, potential donors go through a cavalcade of interviews/tests and are generally ruled out if they’re not 5’10” or taller, have a long history of family health and hold a degree from a four-year university.
By the end of the screening process – which a Toronto clinic details as lengthy and seemingly quite miserable – only about 1% of applicants ever see their sperm out on the, uh, streets.
So in case anyone was scratching their heads for some do-it-yourself ways to make an extra buck going into the weekend, now you know that spending a little alone time doesn’t always pay, after all.
Posted by: I don't know | Aug 7, 2021 10:10:58 PM
It just seems wrong to me to create a baby in a test tube and for the child to have no idea who it's father is. In fact the more I think about it, the more disturbing it is. Back to http://www.chimpout.com/forum for some common sense and decency that seems to be in short supply nowadays.
Posted by: medium=message | Aug 12, 2021 2:08:27 PM
....interesting how msn/sympatico ALLOWS links to racially-motivated sites to exist...
not just once. not just here.
not for a short while either.
but all over their blogs/forums. (just like any other ADVERTISING)
just what does this say for this site? what does it say about anything it "reports"?