Name: Do kids think of sperm donors as family?
Uploaded: 2016-12-09T16:10:43Z
Duration: 12 min 16 s
Description: How do we define a parent -- or a family? Bioethicist Veerle Provoost explores these questions in the context of non-traditional families, ones brought together by adoption, second marriages, surrogate mothers and sperm donations. In this talk, she shares stories of how parents and children create their own family narratives.

Veerle Provoost: Do kids think of sperm donors as family?

Do kids think of sperm donors as family?

How do we define a parent -- or a family? Bioethicist Veerle Provoost explores these questions in the context of non-traditional families, ones brought together by adoption, second marriages, surrogate mothers and sperm donations. In this talk, she shares stories of how parents and children create their own family narratives.

The meaning of family extends far beyond genetics or traditional labels. Children conceived through sperm donation often see donors as important, but not as family, and focus instead on loving bonds. Parents create inventive ways to explain their family stories, like apple tree diagrams or farm visits, showing creativity in the face of uncertainty. Despite societal pressures, what truly matters for children is warmth and belonging, not biological connection.