Method

In order to gain a comprehensive look at how race is represented in the marketing of ARTs, three companies that offer ART services were analyzed. These websites were found through the google search of “egg donation.” This phrase was used as a search reference because I wanted websites that specifically offered egg-matching services. Additionally, each of the websites was selected because they were slightly different; Reproductive Biology Associates provides a home website for fertility treatments in addition to separate website for egg freezing, Family Creations only offers egg matching services, and Connecticut Fertility Association provides a home website for fertility treatments in addition to a separate website for egg donation and surrogacy services. On a more practical level, each of the websites were chosen because they provided images of individuals and families almost every section of their website.

For every websites I copied each image and pasted it into a word document. From there, each picture was categorized as either White, non-White light skinned, or non-White dark skinned . In all of the graphs, those individuals who were counted as part of a ‘family,’ ‘group of women,’ or ‘group of babies,’ are also counted as individuals within each of their separate categories. Additionally, pictures of a single parent and a baby are put under the category of ‘family.’

I mapped out how many times racial groups were represented on the website by skin color in order to be able to record representations of race without dividing people along assumed racial categories. However, I recognize how indefinite the categories I utilized are. This is intentional in that race is not a biologically grounded fact, therefore, it should not be treated as such in statistical analysis. However, while race is not a biological fact, constructed racial categories are very much real and part of every day interactions. Therefore, the categories I utilized were designed to be able to mark how race is being displayed on websites in order to highlight how light skinned individuals and families are heavily represented, without reinforcing racial categories. Additionally, in terms of practicality, many of the people represented on these websites were racially ambiguous; the categories I utilized are designed to highlight this fact.

In addition to the statistical analysis of photographs used, the following section will include overall observation. At several points, the placement of photographs, the language utilized in connection to a photograph, or the grouping of photographs were necessary to include in order to get a more comprehensive view of how each website is set up. However, further analysis needs to be done in order to study the language used by providers of ARTs to achieve a more comprehensive view of the marketing of ARTs.