The End of Anonymous Sperm Donors?

More and more government authorities are declaring that the right to know who your biological parents are is a “basic human right”. Just this week, a court in Germany found that children of sperm donors have a right to know who their fathers are. Given that about 100,000 kids in Germany have been born to sperm donors, this court decision could have major implications.

Yet Germany isn’t the only country moving in this direction; the UK already keeps records of donors and requires that children be allowed to know the identity of their biological father when they turn 18.  Other countries have been considering similar legislation.

What do you think? Should it be a basic right for children to be able to know who their biological father is, or does this requirement only cause disruption of otherwise well-functioning households? And if the child already has a mother and father, does it make sense to require telling a child about their “other (i.e., biological) father”?

These are tough questions. We only hope that the debate is respectful and all sides of the argument are heard fully.