Negotiating reproduction: religion, gender and sexuality in political conflicts

Authors

• Lise Kanckos Åbo Akademi University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67306

Keywords:

Politics and Christianity, Gender, Women, Power (Religion), Reproduction -- Ethical aspects, Sex, Sociology and religion, Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko, Reproductive technology, Children's rights

Abstract

In this article the author discusses the role of ethics and religion in the context of the current political debate on assisted reproduction in Finland. There is reason to ask why the issues of family structures, gender roles and sexuality cause conflict situations in politics and society. How should we understand the nature of political conflicts concerning family, gender and sexuality? For a proper understanding of these conflicts, we need a nuanced analysis of the role of ethics and religion in political debates in a secular European culture. In this article the author focuses on two examples drawn from Finnish discussions of assisted reproduction. The first example comes from recent parliamentary discussion of assisted reproduction, and the second example from how the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland has reflected on the same issue.