Biracial Baby Lawsuit: White Lesbian From Ohio Sues Over Black Sperm Mistake

A white lesbian from Ohio is suing a sperm bank because it gave her the “wrong product.” Jennifer Cramblett, of Uniontown, Ohio recently filed a lawsuit against the Midwest Sperm Bank, a Chicago-based bank, because the business mistakenly gave her vials of sperm from a black man. It is “more difficult” for the Ohio woman and her same-sex partner to raise Payton, now 2, in an all-white community, according to claims in a recently filed lawsuit.

The Ohio woman and her same-sex partner, Amanda Zinkon, reportedly ordered sperm from a white donor in 2011. The so-called biracial baby lawsuit further contends that the lesbian couple searched through the “comprehensive histories” of the top three donors at the Midwest Sperm Bank before they chose donor number 380. The same-sex couples’ Ohio doctor received sperm from donor number 330 instead, as previously reported by the Inquisitr.

Jennifer Cramblett, 36, did not learn that she had been inseminated with sperm from a black donor until April 2012, when she was already pregnant and ordering additional vials of sperm from their chosen donor. The Ohio woman is now suing the Midwest Sperm Bank for “wrongful birth” and breach of warranty. The legal filing also cites economic losses and emotional distress related to the birth of the woman’s biracial daughter. When contacted by the media for comment, an attorney for the Midwest Sperm Bank said the company would not be offering any comment on pending litigation.

An excerpt from the biracial baby lawsuit reads, “On August 21, 2012, Jennifer gave birth to Payton, a beautiful, obviously mixed-race baby girl. Jennifer bonded with Payton easily, and she and Amanda love her very much. Even so, Jennifer lives each day with fears, anxieties and uncertainty about her future and Payton’s future.” The lawsuit also claims that both Cramblett and Zinkon were raised in a small, all-white community where many people had “stereotypical attitudes about non-whites.” Cramblett did not reportedly known any black people until she attended the University of Akron.

“Because of this background and upbringing, Jennifer acknowledges her limited cultural competency relative to African-Americans and steep learning curve, particularly in small, homogenous Uniontown, which she regards as too racially intolerant,” the lawsuit also said. Jennifer Cramblett also said that part of the “learning curve” which comes from having a biracial child involves haircuts. The mother maintains that she must drive to a “black neighborhood” to get Payton a haircut and once there she is not “overtly welcome” and is “obviously different in appearance.”

Jennifer Cramblett said that her “all-white and unconsciously insensitive family” has not fully embraced her homosexuality, and she fears that the lack of racial harmony could have a negative effect on her daughter. “Though compelled to repress her individuality amongst family members, Payton’s differences are irrepressible, and Jennifer does not want Payton to feel stigmatized or unrecognized due simply to the circumstances of her birth. Jennifer’s stress and anxiety intensify when she envisions Payton entering an all-white school,” the lawsuit also said.

The Ohio woman’s therapists have advised her to move to a more racially diverse community for the overall psychological well-being of her daughter. After the Midwest Sperm Bank had learned of the mistake, an apology letter was sent, along with a refund check for the six vials of sperm from a black donor.

As a resident of a small, nearly all-white Ohio town, I can’t imagine Payton not being welcomed here.

http://youtu.be/_8ONVV_SmWA

What do you think about the biracial baby lawsuit?

[Image via: Mommy Noire]