Genetic Crossroads

The intersection of biotechnology, reproduction and society.

by The Center for Genetics and Society

BioConversations for Mother's Day

Taking the Biotech Discussion Public

Published on May 5, 2010 by Marcy Darnovsky, Ph.D. in Genetic Crossroads

The biopolitical challenges that are our focus here at Genetic Crossroads make headlines once in a while: when there's an outrage in the fertility industry, or a scandal in the biotech sector, or a claim to have cloned a child. The issues have also gone high-profile with movies like My Sister's Keeper and GATTACA, and bestselling books like Michael Crichton's Next.

Now there's BioConversations - a website and series of short web-based videos that aim to bring parents and others who care for children into the conversation. BioConversations is being launched today, in time for Mother's Day. It will address the genetic and reproductive technologies that are already affecting the lives of families - in ways that are sometimes beneficial and sometimes troubling - as well as confronting proposed future applications that are deeply disturbing.

BioConversations is a collaborative project of four groups:

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Mothers for a Human Future - focused on helping mothers meet the unprecedented challenges of raising children in the 21st century by fighting the forces promoting the commercialization of childhood and the commodification of children.
The Center for Genetics and Society - working to encourage responsible uses and effective societal governance of the new human genetic and reproductive technologies.
The Public Conversations Project - promoting constructive conversations and relationships among those who have different values, worldviews, and positions related to divisive public issues.
The Jamestown Project - reaching across boundaries and generations to promote civic engagement and make democracy real.

Happy Mother's Day - and enjoy!