the Female Body GOVERNING

“Doing What Comes Naturally . . .” 249
femininity. This, argues Irma van der Ploeg (2004), is a necessary site
of ongoing resistance:
In the face of technology’s new body ontologies and redefi nition of
biological processes, we can insist on invoking justice and fairness in
their construction. In a context where there is not much that is natural
about the nature of reproduction anyhow, we can try for a more socially
just defi nition of “nature.” There, we certainly can contest technologies,
knowledges and ontologies that structurally presuppose and biologize
female embodiment as angelic selfl essness. (p. 178).
One of the unifying features of feminist writing on the new reproductive
and genetic technologies, in all its diversity, is the placing of women
at its centre (see Throsby, 2004, chap. 2). Importantly, however, this
feminist work does not simply restore women to the list of actors, but
rather, it has the potential to disrupt the naturalization of women’s
reproductive labor on which IVF is predicated. By rendering visible the
construction of “natural” embodied femininity, and particularly from the
liminal location of IVF failure, 10 new spaces (potentially) can be opened
up from which to contest, and reconfi gure, the normative reproductive
categories on which IVF, and the new forms of bodily governance that
it produces, are reliant.
Notes
I am very grateful to Celia Roberts, who provided key readings, interesting insights,
and encouragement. Paula Saukko was also very supportive (and patient), and
her insightful comments on earlier drafts were extremely helpful. This chapter
draws on work from my doctoral research on IVF failure, which has recently
been published by Palgrave (2004), titled When IVF Fails: Feminism, Infertility and
the Negotiation of Normality. The chapter also draws on an article written with Ros
Gill (Throsby & Gill, 2004), titled, “‘It’s Different for Men’: Masculinity and IVF,”
and a paper published in Narrative Inquiry (Throsby, 2002), titled “Negotiating
‘Normality’ When IVF Fails.”.
1. See www.hfea.gov.uk, retrieved February 7, 2001.
2. Sixth International Symposium on Pre-implantation Genetics (May 19–21,
2005), Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London (www.pgdlondon.
org). The organizers also celebrated the birth of “thousands” of PGD babies
and released a CD of “International Lullabies.”.
3. See www.guardian.co.uk, retrieved February 7, 2001.
4. NICE provides recommendations to the NHS on treatment and care (www.
nice.org.uk).
5. See www.guardian.co.uk, retrieved February 25, 2004.
6. For a more detailed discussion of the experience of voluntary childlessness,
see Campbell, 1999; Lisle, 1999; 2000; May, 1995; Morell, 1994.
7. Other sites that were identifi ed as potentially indicative of desperation, and
through which “normality” could therefore be expressed, included the use