Physiognomy, familism and consumerism: preferences among Jewish-Israeli recipients of donor insemination

This paper examines the physiological preferences of Jewish-Israeli donor insemination (DI) recipients regarding the desirable donor.1 By comparing recipients’ own physiognomy with that of a hypothetical donor, we explore some of the social potentials of DI in its emerging democratized form. We examine prevailing notions regarding the ‘natural family’ and ‘family resemblance’ and query the relative weight of the natural vs. the consumer model as applied to oneʹs own family through considerations regarding physical appearance. While examining the ‘natural family’ concept as a limit in the making of actual Israeli families, we consider the meanings of choice in the context of procreative technologies. The study may also provide practitioners with relevant information for donor matching. The paper is based on questionnaires delivered in four sperm banks during the years 1995–1998. It is important to note that the preferences we study are hypothetical, as in Israel no choice is offered and donor matching is performed exclusively by doctors.2 Three comparisons serve as vehicles for characterizing the gaps between the natural and the consumer model: womenʹs preferences regarding the donorʹs appearance vs. their male partners’ appearance; menʹs preferences vs. their own features; single womenʹs preferences vs. those of married ones. The paper ends with a discussion of the social implications of democratized DI on family, gender power relations and social hegemony.