Daily Mail mocked for misleading ‘sperm bank for lesbians’ claim
The Mail on Sunday has been criticised for a front page headline claiming the NHS is funding a sperm bank “for lesbians”.
The newspaper was covering the launch of a national sperm bank, which has been awarded a £77,000 grant by the Department of Health to boost sperm donations.
The sperm bank is targeted at all people who want to conceive, and will be available to straight couples, same-sex couples and single women, and to people of all ethnicities.
However, the Mail claimed the “NHS funded” service would cater to lesbians and lead to “a new generation of fatherless families”, while quoting critics who claimed it is a “dangerous social experiment”.
Twitter users have mocked the article, by needlessly adding the words “for lesbians” to other headlines.
Just realised, you can turn any headline into a Daily Mail front page just by adding the words “For Lesbians” #AddForLesbiansToAHeadline
— Ally Fogg (@AllyFogg) August 3, 2014
Titanic Sinks Four Hours After Hitting Iceberg For Lesbians #AddForLesbiansToAHeadline
— . (@kid_smoke) August 3, 2014
#AddForLesbiansToAHeadline London Zoo Defends Late Parties for Lesbians https://t.co/sxT5YduZte
— Ally Fogg (@AllyFogg) August 3, 2014
Man in critical condition after ‘falling’ on sex toy for lesbians #addforlesbianstoaheadline
— Ant (@anthonymgraham1) August 3, 2014
“Moyes Leaves Manchester United For Lesbians” #AddForLesbiansToAHeadline
— Francis L (@Francislunn) August 3, 2014
EQUALITY: Fury as NHS set up sperm bank accessible by all members of society INCLUDING LESBIANS!!!!!!!
— The DM Reporter (@DMReporter) August 3, 2014
The Media Blog wrote: “Of course, the headline is deeply and deliberately misleading, written to feed the irrational fears and prejudices of Mail readers.
“At this point it’s worth noting that even the ‘NHS-funded’ element of these headlines is more than a little misleading. Public funding for the sperm bank amounts to a single £77,000 grant. People who use the service will pay for it themselves.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “The National Sperm Bank will benefit all patients who need these services.”
