Member-only story
Why ‘Labor of Love’ May Be the Most Important Reality TV Show Ever
It could inspire other couples to get real about what’s involved in bringing a baby into the world
When Fox debuted its new reality TV show, Labor of Love, many people were horrified. Fifteen men are competing to impregnate Kristy Katzmann, a 42-year-old divorcee. As host Kristin Davis says, they will “skip the dating and go straight to baby-making.”
Each week for eight weeks, the aspiring dads-to-be will be tasked with challenges to see just what kind of dad and partner they’ll be and afterward, Katzmann will know if she has found a man she’d like to have children with — and presumably marry (this part of the show is unclear) — or if she’ll use the eggs she’s frozen to become a mom on her own.
I’m no fan of reality TV shows, and finding love this way makes me queasy — producers look for people who will fit certain roles and create drama because that makes for good TV watching. But the show’s premise, taking time to discover if these would-be-dads would be up to task, is something all would-be-moms should seriously consider.
Take the men’s first task — a sperm test. The would-be-dads are all older — 36 to 46 years old — and older men can have fertility issues. Infertility can greatly impact…
