Japan needs more sperm donors
Gay and other unconventional families want help with reproduction
AFTER THEY married in 2015, Shimuzu Nao and Ayaka dreamed of having children. But this was not straightforward. The couple are both biologically female; Nao, as the former is known, is a transgender man. While exploring possible workarounds, including adoption, they came across a man on social media who was willing to provide them with sperm. They proceeded to meet up with him several times at an internet café in Tokyo. Each time, he handed them a plastic syringe containing his semen, which Ayaka injected into herself. After the seventh meeting, she became pregnant. “Having children has been one of the most enriching experiences for us,” says Nao, now a father of two.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Sacred sperm”
From the December 2nd 2023 edition
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