• Sun
  • Dec 28, 2014
  • Updated: 2:17am

What do students think about surrogacy and Lee's case? How would they feel if they had been born to a surrogate mother?

PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 16 November, 2010, 12:00am
UPDATED : Tuesday, 16 November, 2010, 12:00am

Emily Tsang Long-yu, 16, Creative Secondary School

I absolutely disagree [with his act] because the children will grow up without a mother. I suspect the reason behind his decision to have the three children is that he wants them to inherit his father's fortune. The children will find out that their mother was paid to give birth to them. This will affect their emotional stability. If I were them, I would be embarrassed because my mother wasn't someone who loved me but gave birth to me because of money. What's the point of living?

Vineeta Babani, 17, Delia School of Canada

I think a father's love is not enough for a child, and I doubt a business tycoon like Lee will have enough time to spend with his children. If I were the child, I would keep asking about who my mother is and why she did what she did. I don't think surrogacy should be legalised. Money can buy a lot of things, but some things just cannot be bought.

Elise Choi Ho-yee, 16, Sai Kung Sung Tsun Catholic School

I understand why people who cannot have children turn to surrogacy. Society is progressing and we need to accept new things. But Lee's children will grow up without a mother's love, which will definitely affect their development. They might be teased by their classmates. If I were them, I would lose confidence and feel that others are luckier because they have both parents, even though I'm wealthier.

Jayesh Dalani, 18, Korean International School

In most cases, [people] use surrogacy for selfish reasons such as a desire to carry on their blood line. I think Lee's children's development will definitely suffer. There are many lovely children who don't have families to care for them. Wouldn't adoption be a wiser option?

Mandeep Gill, 17, Island School

As long as Lee's motives are good, I don't think [his act] is immoral. If the father can raise the children with the same amount of love and care as a mother, that won't affect the children. But having a mother would help their upbringing since a mother's love is crucial to a child. The idea that money can buy almost anything is bad. Money can buy a house, but not a home. It can buy medicine, but not health. And it can buy a [child], but not love.

Shivika Kothari, 17, Hong Kong International School

Unless there is some medical problem with one parent, having babies [through surrogacy] by another person seems unethical to me. I think because of the lack of a mother's love, Lee's children's will suffer. [Having a mother] helps stabilise children's emotions and makes them feel secure. They would be able to cope with stress and problems later in life. It all depends on the people who raise the children because they are the ones who [shape] the children.

Neelam Ganglani, 19, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Surrogacy is a personal choice and if the business tycoon has chosen this route, no one has the right to judge whether it is selfish or not. But I think it would be hard for the father to play the roles of both the father and the mother. No matter how well he did it, it would never be a complete [family]. Adoption would have been a much better option. The tycoon could have become the father of three homeless children.

Mabel Sieh and YP intern Bharisha Mirpuri


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