Of course. It's what what we sue-happy Americans do, isn't it? But in the case of the Thomas and Nancy Andrews, it seems that suing the Park Avenue sperm bank that accidentally inseminated Nancy with sperm belonging to someone other than her husband, could do more harm than good - because the insemination resulted in the birth of their 21/2 year-old daughter, Jessica. Jessica's parents say "While we love Baby Jessica as our own, we are reminded of this terrible mistake each and every time we look at her." Why? Because Jessica, born to a white father and a Dominican mother, is black.
DNA tests confirmed that Jessica's father is not Thomas Andrews. Now the Andrews family has been given permission by a NY judge to sue the sperm bank for malpractice. Through court documents, the Andrews said "We underwent a complex medical procedure for the sole
purpose of bearing a child of our own... we were never informed that this type of mishap could occur... this type of mishap is almost unimaginable. We fear that our daughter will be the object of scorn and ridicule
by other children, both in school and as she grows up." (Ridicule?)
They certainly have a case for malpractice, no doubt about it. I shudder to think about how I'd feel in Nancy Andrews position (betrayed? confused? angry?) But what about their daughter? Her feelings have to be taken into account here. She is a living, breathing person, being raised in a family that is suing a sperm bank over her skin color. How's that going to make her feel about herself as she grows up? If some random white dude's sperm was used in the insemination process, they'd be none the wiser... Is a couple thousand dollars going to be worth the pain they may cause for their little girl down the road?
