SHARE
COPY LINK

IVF

Elton John boycotts D&G over IVF comments

British pop legend Elton John called for a boycott of Dolce and Gabbana on Sunday after one of the designers behind the Italian fashion label condemned IVF babies as "synthetic".

Elton John boycotts D&G over IVF comments
Elton John (L) with partner David Furnish (R) in 2011. Photo: Max Nash

The 67-year-old singer-songwriter, who has two young sons with husband David Furnish born via a surrogacy arrangement, attacked Domenico Dolce for his "archaic thinking".

"How dare you refer to my beautiful children as 'synthetic'," John said in a posting on Instagram.

"And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.

"Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana."

He was responding to an interview that Dolce, a practising Catholic who for many years was in a gay relationship with his business partner Stefano Gabbana, gave to Italy's Panorama magazine.

"You are born and you have a father and a mother," the designer said, according to the magazine's online edition.

"Or at least that's the way it should be, and that's why I'm not convinced by children from chemistry, synthetic babies, uteruses for rent, semen chosen from a catalogue."

John married his long-term partner Furnish in December in a star-studded ceremony attended by their two sons, four-year-old Zachary and two-year-old Elijah.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

IVF

Spain restores free IVF to singles, lesbians and now trans people

The Spanish government on Wednesday confirmed it will restore state-funded fertility treatment to singles, bisexual women and lesbians, also extending it to transgender persons capable of conceiving who can access IVF on the national health system.

Fertility treatment is now free for the majority of people in Spain. Photo: GENYA SAVILOV / AFP
Fertility treatment is now free for the majority of people in Spain. Photo: GENYA SAVILOV / AFP

The measure had long been demanded by LGBT rights groups and is part of the Socialist-led government’s drive for equality.

Fertility treatment is free in Spain, but in 2014, the conservative Popular Party government that was in power at the time, limited it to heterosexual women who have a partner, forcing others to pay for private treatment.

Since then, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment has only been free for those with fertility problems resulting from a medical condition, or to prevent the transmission of a serious disease or disorder.

It was not available to those who were unable to conceive without having fertility problems, such as single women or lesbians.

“The government has restored the right of single women, lesbians and bisexuals to access assisted reproduction techniques within the national health system and has extended it to transgender people with gestational capacity,” a ministry statement said.

Under the new ministerial order, which came into effect on Wednesday, the service will affect some 8,500 women, according to the health ministry.

“This is a milestone,” said Health Minister Carolina Darias on signing the order, indicating it would have “an important impact on these groups, guaranteeing access to assisted reproduction techniques under equal conditions”.

“Spain is a world leader in public health and in rights for women and the LGBTI community,” she added.

Despite the conservative government’s move to limit the service seven years ago, many of Spain’s 17 regions, which are responsible for their own healthcare policy, refused to enforce it.

Spain’s current government, which describes itself as feminist, has a record number of women serving in the cabinet.

SHOW COMMENTS