Within the context of the debate on reproductive autonomy, this lecture addresses the issue of surrogacy—a topic that is particularly controversial even among feminists. It examines arguments based on the principle of gender equality, the apparent parity of interests between mothers and fathers implied by the use of the term "couple," and the artificial separation of the pregnant woman from the embryo. As a private commercial enterprise, surrogacy operates according to the logic of the liberal market economy; ethically, therefore, it must be measured at least against the standards applicable to that system. The surrogate mother—usually driven by financial hardship—places her body and her entire self at the service of another person for nine months. Consequently, the child she gives birth to becomes a commodity. Companies reap huge profits by catering to the desire for a genetically "own" child, while surrogate mothers bear the physical and psychological risks.

This option appeals to some heterosexual and gay couples alike. Lesbian women, however, do not rely on the arrangement of surrogacy. The situations of heterosexual, gay, and lesbian couples are not comparable regarding the physical prerequisites for bearing a genetically related child; the legal frameworks differ as well. Following a fundamental critique of surrogacy, the lecture will explore these distinctions.