Thursday, May 21, 2009

Moral Decline?

I'm as liberal as the next Chapel Hillian...I'm in favor of a woman's right to choose, same sex unions, equal pay for equal work, premarital cohabitation, sex ed in schools including contraception and abstinence, etc. Generally speaking, I try hard not to judge other people's behaviors, but this story just got me.

Mia Washington, 20, of Texas recently revealed that her twin boys, 11 months old, have different fathers. The mother said she thought they looked different and took them for a DNA test. She then admitted to her fiance (who is the father of one of the boys) that she had a fling with someone else (whom she is thankfully not identifying) at the time she got pregnant. (In case you were wondering, the technical term for this is type of twins is heteropaternal superfecundation.) Some studies show that up to 1-2% of all fraternal twins have different fathers. Others say it's one in a million. Her fiance has decided to raise both boys as his own. Ms. Washington has a 4 year old son from yet a different father and is expecting another child.

Despite my liberal views, I almost feel like this is a symbol of moral decline. I really cannot believe I am writing these words, but for some reason this story really set me off. Perhaps it's the pride exhibited by the mother that irritates me most. If it were me, I certainly wouldn't nationally publicize my promiscuity.

To put it simply, medical marvel, yes. Something I'd want to be famous for, no.