In a motion, Joar Forssell, a Liberal Party member of parliament, demands that Sweden heavily invests in research on artificial wombs.
The aim is to “undermine the patriarchy”, “eliminate biological limitations”, and allow women to “fully participate in working life” – rather than “having to bear the burden of pregnancy”.
Forssell claims in his motion that “reproductive freedom is a central issue for the liberation of womb bearers” and it’s crucial that they have control over their reproductive health “without being limited by biological or social factors” – hence, research on artificial wombs should be prioritized.
Moreover, women who no longer need to be pregnant can work more – which is also very positive according to the liberal.
“By developing technology around artificial wombs, society can help distribute parental responsibilities more equitably between the genders. It allows women to fully participate in working life and other parts of society without bearing the burden of pregnancy”, he writes.
“Restricted women for millennia”
Forssell frequently uses the term “womb bearer” popular in LGBTQ contexts, instead of “woman” and argues that “research on artificial wombs is crucial from a feminist perspective”.
“It empowers individuals over their own bodies and reproductive choices. By eliminating biological restrictions and societal norms around pregnancy, this opens up opportunities for everyone to fully participate in society without sacrificing their health and well-being”, he asserts.
Furthermore, “this technology undermines patriarchal structures by removing the exclusive burden of pregnancy from women or womb bearers” – breaking with “norms and expectations” that, according to the liberal MP, “have limited women’s opportunities and freedoms for millennia”.
Investing more in artificial wombs is, according to Forssell, “a powerful step towards equality and feminist goals” and promotes “a deeper cultural change towards true equality”.
“Natural pregnancy is one of the most dangerous things that womb bearers and, for that matter, unborn children can face. Civilization’s progression requires advances to relieve humans from this natural but hopelessly outdated burden. The possibilities of conducting a national or European commitment for scientific advancements in this area should be explored”, he concludes.
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley ringde nyss och gjorde anspråk på sin intellektuella upphovsrätt. Lägg märke till att ordet "kvinna" lyser med sin frånvaro. Det närmaste man kommer är "livmoderbärare".https://t.co/yHM3rfcbJU
— Peter Andersson (@HerrKreosot) October 23, 2023
On social media, the motion has been met with harsh criticism – but also a good amount of ridicule. This is partly because a supposedly bourgeois politician uses radical feminist phrases like “womb bearers” and “patriarchal structures” – but also because he claims to want to “eliminate” biological reality.
Many also question the portrayal of pregnancy as something dangerous, ugly, and awful – instead of something natural and beautiful. Several critics draw parallels between Forssell’s proposal and Aldous Huxley’s dystopia Brave New World where pregnancies no longer exist, and children are instead cultivated in bio-labs. Below is a video illustration of such a dystopian facility.
