I assume we're all aware of Nadya Suleman. She's the single California woman who, with the help of an unnamed fertility doctor, gave birth six children and then, surprise, octuplets. Well, the controversial doctor has been named. You know, the man who put Suleman and her babies at risk of death so he could experiment with his gift of implantation. And we all know, the limitations of a woman's body, a human's body, is far less interesting than the experiment itself. But here's the crazier news: Suleman receives federal assistance as well as food stamps to supplement her single mom life that includes 14 children. I certainly advocate for a woman's right to choose… anything. But Suleman describes herself as a depressive and suicidal.
Mmm… isn't there a mental health analysis that's encouraged for fertility clinic patients? I know many people misinterpret parenthood as a means to garner meaning in their lives, but parenthood garners imperative. Meaning is something you discover within yourself, not from changing diapers and having something to love. No? So why didn't someone curtail Suleman's need to procreate when she made it clear she wasn't up for the job? And now we know Suleman uses food stamps. Is there no end to this? I don't have any issue with food stamp use or single motherhood, but I'm afraid this deserves some hardcore discussion. Should there be an economic and emotional requirement for fertility patients? Has the need to have a baby moved from instinct to social gluttony?
Keith Josef Adkins is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and social commentator.