“The Dual Roles of the Male Reproductive Body in Infertility Care: From Inclusion to Exclusion”
▲Date: 2024.10.22,1-3 pm
Venue: R802,8F, Teaching & Research Building, Shuang Ho Campus, TMU.
▲Speaker: Dr. Wen-Ling Kung
Postdoc Fellow, Sociology Department,NTU.
PhD, State University of New York—Albany.
This talk explores the dual roles of the male reproductive body in the context of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as infertility care and how the associated “paternal responsibility” is addressed. While the male body is emphasized in attributing causes for “the inability to conceive naturally,” particularly concerning sperm count, motility, and morphology that lead to fertilization difficulties, it tends to be marginalized when discussing “the outcomes of failed IVF.” The potential negative impact of sperm genetic materials on embryo development or subsequent implantation is often overlooked. The research shows how culture, technology, and scientific knowledge contribute to enacting biological sex/gender differences, thereby reshaping the gendered division of reproductive responsibility in contemporary societies.
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