Donor-Linked Families in the Digital Age: Relatedness and Regulation

How are siblings who were conceived using the same sperm or egg donor making connections in the absence of legal support? What is it like to discover you are part of a 50+ donor sibling group? How are donor conceived adults using new technologies to connect with genetic family and explore their identity? This edited collection considers the donor linking experiences of donor conceived adults and children, recipient parents, and donors in a global context. It includes contributions from legal academics, social workers, sociologists, psychologists, and policy makers who work in the assisted conception field. As a result, it will be of particular interest to scholars of reproductive law, sociology, and digital media and reproductive technologies. It will also engage those following the debate around donor linking and the use of do-it-yourself technologies, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing and social media.

Fiona Kelly is Dean of La Trobe University Law School, Australia. Her research explores the intersection between family law and health law, focusing on the legal regulation of assisted reproduction. Her research has contributed to Australian and Canadian law reform in the areas of assisted reproduction and family diversity.

Deborah Dempsey is a sociologist and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. Her broad research interests encompass fertility, technology, and family change. She has published extensively on queer parenthood and families created through donor conception in Australia, and her work has been influential in law reform processes.

Adrienne Byrt is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. As a design sociologist, her research draws together feminist theory and design methods to highlight systemic gendered inequity. Her interdisciplinary research spans the sociology of families, mothering and motherhood, women's financial safety, and service design.