Beyond Bionormativity - Revision of Article 119 of the Swiss Constitution

Abstract

Over the past decades, the face of modern families has changed; a change accelerated by the use of assisted reproductive technologies (hereafter: ART) by both hetero- and same-sex couples. ART challenge the traditional concept of the nuclear family consisting of two individuals of opposite sex bound by the vows of marriage and their biological children. They make it possible to split up genetic, biological, and social parenthood and as such cause fragmentation of parenthood and pluralization of family forms. The Swiss Constitution has not followed suit so far.