#[<- the face of future consequences]
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This is what happened after 3.1 isn't it?
#hsr#phaidei#phaidei nation I humbly offer thee a low quality meme to cope with the doomed yaoi that was going on#phainon#honkai star rail#fellas is it gay for your red coded rival to your blue coded rival to clasp his hands over your own after you stabbed him#due to thinking he was the objective of your revenge quest#pull your sword deeper in and by consequence add to your proximity while smiling and fondly say “Found you.”?#Was it casual when you had an insanely charged and homoerotic scene in the hot baths that had you face down on the ground at his feet?#no but seriously these two have me in a chokehold#what do you MEAN you told him your precise weak spot just in case you became you turned against his cause#and his presumed future EMIYA Archer coded shadow self immediately went precisely for it?#and you KNOW you'll die with a wound in that weak spot in your back and you told him about it anyway#and you tell people to keep an eye on him after you go to meet your fate and then ask him to watch over your people#and he says he'll work hard to learn your language#AND FINALLY#“If there's a chance in the next life you should come visit my library.” WHAT IF I PERISHED ON THE SPOT?!#that's their “See you in the next world.”; their “Do stay alive. I wish you the best of luck.”;#their “I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you.”; “You were a wonderful experience. You were everything.” etc etc#they make me ill (positive)#also I find it so funny that as a KevinSu shipper in HI3rd I went into Star Rail expecting for the dynamic to be more coded with Anaxa#only for Phaidei to hit literally all of my points and favorite tropes in a ship and by consequence my head with a steel chair lol#really hope we see Mydei again soon because literally the first thing Phainon does after he's gone is talk about him all the time#he is a professional yearner and I respect him for it (especially since I too miss Mydei as if he's Odysseus going off to war and sea#for 20 years and I'm Penelope waiting at the shores of Ithaca)#also sorry for the low quality screenshot I was literally too invested in the quest to try and take better ones#gotta love how Hoyoverse is always giving the Kaslanas some of the best romances in their games and ESPECIALLY so if they're queer#myphai
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ok, but imagine a post/mid-credits scene:
We see a dark door to Bucky's apartment from the inside, then hear rattling. Bucky opens the door while on the phone with Sam, ranting about what happened during the movie.
Then, he notices that there's faint light in one of his rooms, abruptly stopping the conversation and saying he'll call back. He cauciously walks up to the room as silently as he can, pulling out some kind of weapon in the meantime. He takes a steading breath and walks in.
Near a lightstand sits a man, one Bucky knows all too well, reading one of his books, his coat folded nearby. He doesn't look at Bucky but acknowledges him, greeting him.
Then he starts to talk.
He talks about power, how it corrupts absolutely. He talks about irony, how somones impulsive want can become their only purpose, the thing that was supposed to kill them the only value keeping them alive. He talks about a mission he was sent for, how it obviously is something he wasn't supposed to return from alive. He says that they can call it paying back for his help from last time, to make them even.
Bucky only raises his eyebrow, visibly unimpressed that so little info was supposed to convince him to do anything, especially for him. He asks for more details.
The man looks at him for a moment in silence, then closes the book he was reading.
"Say James," says Zemo, tilting his head, "What do you know about Latveria?"
#Bucky Barnes#helmut zemo#baron zemo#james bucky barnes#thunderbolts#marvel#mcu#zemo#post credit scene#it obviously will never happen cause they probably already forgot about zemo for next ten years again#but to not feature him in any way in the movie about a team HE made in comics should be considered a crime#what the mission is for you may be wondering#my guess would be that victor/his minions stolen something from us goverment and they want it back#so they sent somone who has personal experience with these parts of europe and local aristocracy but isnt important enough to be missed#maybe they sent him to spy for them from the inside by him pretending to join doom?#some sort of threats and explosives are most likely involved to make him compilant#from what we know about him mcu!zemo would absolutely despise doom so by itself it would be a punishment#my post#edit: i know that were in a multiverse saga so i shouldnt be surprised that the main bad of it is probably from another universe#i just think it would be more interesting and consistent if it followed the pattern that we had until now#the 'x got/wants to be transported into y universe and now everybody has to face Consequences' one from over half of their movies now#rather than entering the third act and only hint of his existence in-universe is post-credits with spaceship of his comics enemies#not even his own#and (also post-credits) hinting the potential need to defend their universe from other universes#like#the idea they poked the bounds of multiverse so much that this dude trying do this again made a hole so big they started to mesh together#and now theres hundreds of heroes and villains that didnt exist here before and everyone has to deal with it when somone from the outside#tries to use it to their benefit on a multiverse scale#would be such good explanation for all the x-men or fantastic 4 to appear in the future imo
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elizabethwydevilles replied to this post:
'Most "corrections" of Padmé's characterization I've seen essentially want to make her [...] not a tragic figure except by wild mischance or the missteps of other characters.' I honestly think people have a really hard job accepting that the prequels are a tragedy for *everyone* involved (except Palps). You see it in response to characters like Obi-Wan; the refusal to engage with the idea that a character can try their best and still screw up is hard to swallow.
Yes, very much so! In some ways it's even more marked with Obi-Wan, I feel, because ROTJ so clearly set him up as someone who failed tragically in the prequel era and who took away the wrong lessons from his own mistakes. OT/PT Obi-Wan is a kind, self-sacrificing, and well-meaning person who is not motivated by malice, but there is a moral arrogance to him, a hubris, that plays a significant role in the larger tragedy he is part of and that hubris lingers in the OT even after his death (with potential for further tragedy!).
I think there's a temptation to cast all these characters with fundamentally tragic flaws as solely victims or villains, but an important aspect of this kind of tragedy IMO is how these kinds of flaws collide and contribute to something far worse than any of its parts. The kinds of mistakes and flaws that we see in these characters lead to consequences that are both inevitable and unpredictable; no single one of these tragic figures could independently control or foresee what was going to result from all these different dynamics and maneuverings and choices, but at the same time, these choices do inexorably lead towards disaster. So you get the "well [x tragic choice] isn't what really caused the tragedy, because Palpatine" or "we need to fix [x tragic choice] because it makes the character Bad" without really engaging with the complicity (conscious or unconscious) of all these characters and the significance of their complicity to what the PT is doing as a story.
I don't object to "I want to imagine a happy ending for my faves" at all, btw—I do that all the time and it's not what I'm getting at. But when it comes to insisting that something must have been what "really" happened for the story to "make sense" or be "fixed" in the face of all evidence and basics of story structure, I find it tedious.
#in 2010 i would never have imagined that the star wars prequels would be too complex and difficult for the moral zeitgeist of the future#but i do feel that's honestly a big part of it - that thinking about the ways that well-meaning decent people have flaws#that can have terrible consequences they never intended but are complicit in#is unpleasant and uncomfortable to face head on - often for the characters themselves but even more for us#i do value what storytelling can offer in terms of comfort and escape but sometimes it seems 'comfort' is the only purpose to stories#at least in this worldview#elizabethwydevilles#respuestas#sw fanwank#long post#padmé amidala#obi wan critical#anghraine rants
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I’m just so annoyed they didn’t let Erik be visibly affected by ten fucking years of solitary and be miraculously not physically tortured otherwise despite what we know of how the american government treats “terrorists” just so he and Charles could have “comparable trauma” and have a fight and reconcile when in reality TEN YEAAARSSSSSSS OF LETTING SOMEONE GET TORTURED BY THE US GOVERNMENT IN THE HEIGHT OF THE RED SCARE WHILE BEING IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR A CRIME THEY DID NOT COMMIT kind of universally makes you the one in the wrong accidentally shot in the back or paralysed or not
#days of future past#it Irritates me So Fucking Much#dofp should’ve been Peter carrying a half-conscious magneto with infected wounds and Charles looking at him and face just crumpling into#horror and guilt#but noooo he’s meditating :3 he’s perfectly fed and uninjured :3#and has no long term psych consequences after ten years of solidarity :3#because he is MAGNETO#u can do anything to him and he will be a Cool Badass#*solitary#cherik#LIKE MY GODDDD they literally made Charles more fucked up than Erik and he was literally just in a mansion for 10 years
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You know, I kind of find it interesting when the narrative of fanfics is always like Kaz is in a bad mood because Inej isn't there... rather than Kaz is bored because Inej isn't there. I guess two things can be true at the same time... but also, in the following years, Kaz built the following: an underground tunnel in Ketterdam, the Silver Six, expanded the Crow Club, expanded the Dregs territory (presumably). That's two years... of pure restless energy.
We are also told that he really only talks to Jesper and Wylan when there's a job he needs help with presumably because he's so busy. Kaz also finds time to correspond with a king of a whole other nation... and has been known to roleplay as a beggar (yes, I will keep bringing this up bc it's funny). Imagine, if you will, an 18-19 year old Kaz coming into all this wealth and so much time to just build because he can. Maybe because he's a little lonely, or bored, or both.
I don't think Kaz is angry, I think Kaz is restless.
#kaz brekker#kanej#the crows#rule of wolves#six of crows#i mentioned this before but i truly think kaz will burn himself out by the time he gets to his mid-20s#like i keep going over the one quote: was there ever another dream... and damn kaz take a nap or a break#i want to shake him#anyways my son's trying his best and going to be failing miserably in the future...#bc you can't keep up this pace and not face the consequences of your own actions 🫠#**this is my personal hc :)
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Every woman should have a friend like Grace at their party.

Do Chris and his mommy and daddy really think that any woman he manages to date won't eventually find out about how he treated his ex and then his mistress?

I hope she invites Grace to every party she holds in the future. And that she dumps Natasha.
#Reddit#Aita#Men facing the consequences of their actions#Men delusional enough to believe that future dates won't eventually learn about their horrible actions#The dude cheated on and then left his dying wife. How long into a new relationship will it take until someone gossips about it?#Her friends perceive him as a terrible person because he is one#He obviously hasn't learned any lessons if wasn't getting the hint Grace wasn't interested and kept pestering her#This why men hate women gossiping
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fansign minayeon + home 9round mina (+bonus)
ref credits: [1] [2]
#mini sketches#twice#twice fanart#myoui mina#im nayeon#hirai momo#minatozaki sana#park jihyo#sana finally facing the consequences of her actions (trying to kiss other members)#i think it's so funny how the lights started flashing just as she backed away like the timing of it all...#anyways i made myself draw out really rough sketches for these and i'm suuuper pleased will be doing more of it in the future
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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Doctor Who Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Eighth Doctor & Ninth Doctor, Eighth Doctor & Rose Tyler, and also a bit of, Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler Characters: Eighth Doctor (Doctor Who), Ninth Doctor (Doctor Who), Rose Tyler, plus cameos from an oc and two EDA companions, cheer if you recognise them Additional Tags: Multiple Doctors (Doctor Who), what if you did something you will always blame yourself for, and then you meet a version of you who hadn't done it yet, well that would be fucked up i think, Time War (Doctor Who), The War in Heaven (Doctor Who: Eighth Doctor Adventures), Bad Wolf, there's a lot of things that echo back and forth through time, and i put them all in a room and shook them about a bit, Time Fuckery Summary:
“Are you from Earth, then?”
'James Bowman' waved a hand vaguely. “More or less. My mother was a human,” he added, like that explained anything. “Well, sometimes.”
“You’re weird,” Rose laughed, getting a politely baffled smile in response.
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Rose and the Doctor meet an unexpected face from his past
#finished this like 'oh i've been surprisingly normal with this one'#then remembered the layers of time fuckery going on here#lots of This Action Will Have Consequences type thing from all sides#like when the Moment in dotd is all 'i chose this face from your past. or maybe future' well I can also do that#doctor who#ninth doctor#eighth doctor#rose tyler#writing#eight#nine#mine crafts
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I'm gonna be honest, literally no one can get mad at me for not having Anakin Skywalker turn back to the Light in my fic while also having Ventress and Savage turn back to the Light and implying that Dooku does in the future, because I WAS GOING TO!!!
I WAS GONNA GIVE THAT ASSHOLE THE BEST REDEMPTION ARC IN THE FIC, WITH TONS OF SYMPATHY AND EVERYTHING!!!
BUT THEN ANAKIN APOLOGISTS AND ANTI-JEDI PEOPLE STARTED POSTING ON MY BLOG AND I WENT "FUCK THAT"
so yeah, if you're gonna get mad at that decision, all I'm saying is that I was gonna be nice but y'all made me spiteful as hell
#and yes#before anyone says anything#my fic is gonna be HIGHLY critical of Dooku and the other Darksiders and they're definitely gonna face consequences#eventually turning back to the Light doesn't mean pretending that they never did all the shitty things they did#it just means that they're gonna try to fix what they can and be held accountable and do better in the future#star wars#sw prequels#the clone wars#ao3 fanfic#codywan fanfic#fanfic#pro jedi#anti anakin skywalker#anti anakin apologists#anakin skywalker critical#yan dooku#count dooku#asajj ventress
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it's a questionable idea on a level or two but. ya know what. I'll do it I'll write a post canon komahina story
#one of which being will I ever finish that kaev.en fic? one (1) section remains unfinished and it's got The Ideas but how conversation.....#so I guess that'll simmer forever with a sentence added per month. oh no two sections but second's the ending#anyway dr2's probably sticking with me forever on the level of anim.orphs so. uh. longterm project i guess whether I finish it or not#but I am itching for something where komahina processes kamukura as a consequence of hope's peak and what he represents#and some sorting out of that chapter 4 antagonism#and if I have yet to find one I'll try to write it myself#though some earlier ideas I had regarding dealing with kamukura being assigned symbol no humanity i felt were kinda touched on in udg#with the woh and how they were abused; so you can rEAlly see how each game continues exploring ideas built on from previous games#but it also means I'm kinda here jotting down ideas to explore like assigned worth or what hope means to someone#then going 'wait that's just udg okay shift that over a bit to the left then'#shame that udg contains. that. segment. bc ideas-wise I did enjoy the game#saying that. hajime hinata no one will do it like you you being the star of dr2 automatically makes dr2 the best one#also. as much as I understand skipping straight to komaeda's fixed brand of komahina. i think he deserves to work for it a bit more#process things a bit differently and hopefully better than trying to take everyone out ya know#komaeda shaking hands with both the woh and adult factions of udg you can rEALLy see how these games thematically follow from each other#meanwhile hinata off to the side facepalming then turning to komaru and fukawa to take notes on how to friendship now that he#has facing the future conquerered#dr talk
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dare i say: a lot of fanfic would be better with a bad ending.
Writers, be evil, dont retcon your bad ending, dont soften it. Sometimes the price you gotta pay for a good story is your fav character dying.
#dont be a pussy#kill a guy#genuinely I love fluff and hurt/comfort as much as the next person#but i love good literature even more#they dont need to magically or slowly recover#they need to die#or atleast face the consequences in a way that will affect them in the future#if a character does something drastic#make it have an equal payment#i would like to see more permanently disabled characters#or dead that works too#BUT DONT JUST LET THEM WALK AWAY LIKE ITS NOTHING#bagginshield#fanfic#splookie.txt#bros ramblin
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OKAY NOT DONE TALKING ABOUT THE LITTLE GARDEN ARC
ESPECIALLY THE NARRATIVE PARALLELS BETWEEN ZORO AND SANJI AND DORRY AND BROGGY??? THE FACT THAT THOSE PARALLELS PARTICULARLY IMPLY THAT THEY HAVE A SPECIAL BOND THAT WILL LAST LITERALLY FOREVER???
THE VISUAL WHERE THE AUDIENCE REALIZES THAT THE MOUNTAIN RANGES WERE SKULLS?? PAIRED WITH THEM LYING IN THE SAME POSITION AS ZORO AND SANJI'S TWO DINOSAURS LEFT BEHIND ON THE BEACH?
average tumblr user notices single instance of symbolism, more at 11.
but usopp getting more moments of bravery!!! WE STAN HIS ARC!!!!! I LOVE HIM!!!
zoro getting to laugh and tease people this arc was beautiful, i love that stupid cunty bitch
sanji getting his part of the arc done through cunty trespassing, lying through his teeth, and beating up animals? FANTASTIC THANK YOU FOR MY LIFE (specifically thank you for that twisting move he did with his heels around the vultures head. how does it feel to live MY. D R E A M)
LUFFY WAS SO SHAPED. I WOULD KILL FOR HIM. HE'S SO FERAL.
and calling it now, nami is absolutely going to get malaria girl is the QUEEN of "it's nothing [2 episodes later it is in fact a resonant Something with excruciating plot relevance and emotional stakes attached to it"
almost simped for crocodile but miss all sunday was Right There MA'AM. MA'AM. RESPECTFULLY AND ASEXUALLY, TILL THE BED FUCKING BREAKS--
also he has a giant gold pet which i don't fuck with. also his rings remind me of redd white from ace attorney who is Unfuckable as he is a murderer of a mentor figure (other forms of murder have not detered me from simping in the past. in fact it is typically a point in a character's favor)
also oh my god tumblr makes so much more sense now that i am attempting to use it while high, my fluency rate and understanding of how every person on this platform is distressingly and hilariously comfortable assuming their experience is universal
okay but the still of the giant's weapon shards thrown over their head in victory? makes me insane, will never be over it cannot fucking handle it will be crying forever and ever
#oli oscillates#one piece#one piece little garden#however one thing i will say also is i read a zosan fic wherein sanji asked zoro when zoro knew he loved him#and zoro answered 'little garden' which after seeing this arc i sense that that is BULLSHIT#i feel like that's probably when he started FALLING#as there is DEFINITELY a shift in how zoro talks to him in that reuniting scene. like the vibe of that was different#but zoro would not. realize that yet??? i genuinely don't think#like#like they have only been a consistent crew for arlong loguetown and the laboon arc?? (not counting apis as she's anime filler#and i skipped it)#i think this is when zoro would start QUESTIONING why he cares so much about who wins between him and sanji.#why he's so desperate to be relevant to him. why he has to give as good as he gets#and i think sanji respectfully#IS NOT THERE YET. his character from what i understand at this point in the show is.#well the POINT of his delivery is that he has three faces. how he treats women how he treats men. and how he treats someone he fights#(the last of which is implied to be the “truest” version of him--the iron core that makes him worthwhile as a Good Guy Deep Down tm)#and consequently a member of the strawhats)#i would love to see how future arcs handle the interaction of those three dynamics or a more unified sense of self for sanji#because much as i am down bad nasty for him there's this profound like. i almost want to say insecurity in him that makes him feel--#very wet cat traumatized. he gives me “unloved as an early child and therefore has a fucked up sense of self or love as concepts” vibes#it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't fall until much later than zoro#anyways#mutuals forgive me for holding you hostage in the tags accidentally i have had the goofy silly
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I'm so afraid of tomorrow being the day I have to face the consequences of my actions that I feel it will become a self fulfilled prophecy
#I mean tomorrow literally#like February 10th#otherwise#the metaphorical tomorrow/future is when we all face tye consequences of our actions#isn't it?
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Can there be an ethical way to exploit a woman for a womb and treat a baby like a commodity?
The global surrogacy industry is experiencing an unprecedented boom, raising ethical concerns across borders. As more couples turn to surrogacy as a path to parenthood, this assisted reproductive technology has evolved into a multi-billion dollar market.
According to recent research, the global surrogacy industry is projected to grow from $21.85 billion in 2024, to $196 billion by 2034. This explosive growth is primarily concentrated in Europe and North America, where surrogacy is legal and regulated.
However, the legal landscape of surrogacy remains a complex patchwork across nations, with some countries embracing it while others maintain strict prohibitions. This inconsistency in regulations has created gray areas.
Scientific research highlights the possibility of abuse arising from gaps in legal frameworks and disputes, whether surrogacy is legal or not. It points to unethical practices such as trafficking of women, coercion of both surrogates and prospective parents by agencies, lack of respect for bodily autonomy or informed consent, ‘sham’ procedures and multiple embryo exchanges.
Cross-Border Exploitation: A Dark Web of Surrogacy
Surrogacy-related abuse often happens in a region formed by three countries: Turkey, Georgia and Northern Cyprus.
While surrogacy remains illegal in Turkey, it’s perfectly legal in its northeastern neighbor Georgia and southern neighbor Northern Cyprus, creating a dangerous legal vacuum that enables exploitation.
The Hope for the Future Association, based in Tbilisi, Georgia, is one of the organizations reporting cases of abuse and illegal surrogacy in the country.
“Our organization has evidence of both Georgian and Turkish citizens being used as surrogate mothers, along with cases of children being transported across borders with falsified documents,” said Tamar Khachapuridze, the association’s director. “We’ve reported these to the prosecutor’s office. Despite a decade-long investigation by Georgian prosecutors, these cases remain collecting dust. It appears someone is working to keep these dark dealings under wraps.”
While surrogacy remains illegal in Turkey, it’s perfectly legal in its northeastern neighbor Georgia and southern neighbor Northern Cyprus, creating a dangerous legal vacuum that enables exploitation.
The Hope for the Future Association, based in Tbilisi, Georgia, is one of the organizations reporting cases of abuse and illegal surrogacy in the country.
“Our organization has evidence of both Georgian and Turkish citizens being used as surrogate mothers, along with cases of children being transported across borders with falsified documents,” said Tamar Khachapuridze, the association’s director. “We’ve reported these to the prosecutor’s office. Despite a decade-long investigation by Georgian prosecutors, these cases remain collecting dust. It appears someone is working to keep these dark dealings under wraps.”
Khachapuridze cited a particularly alarming case involving a Turkish surrogate mother. After undergoing embryo transfer in Georgia, she was reportedly transported to Thailand three months before giving birth, where she delivered a baby intended for a single Chinese man.
This case directly violates Georgian law, which explicitly prohibits embryo transfer or any surrogacy procedures for women from foreign countries.
When we obtained the case number from Khachapuridze’s files and approached the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office with written questions about the existence and content of the investigation, our written inquiries and follow-up calls went unanswered.
Rusudan Nanava, a Tbilisi-based lawyer handling surrogacy cases, explained the wall of silence: “I doubt you’ll get any information from the prosecutor’s office. Criminal cases, especially those involving surrogacy, are treated with the highest level of confidentiality.”
Georgia’s Legislative Tug of War: Balancing Ethics and Economics
In a significant policy shift, the Georgian government is grappling with proposed legislation that could fundamentally reshape the country’s surrogacy landscape. The move comes amid growing concerns over human trafficking and exploitation in the industry.
“We’re seeing cases of law abuse, including human trafficking,” said independent member of parliament Tamar Kordzaia. “While the government pushes for change through surrogacy laws, I believe we could address these issues through other regulatory measures.”
The controversial bill, introduced in June 2023, would effectively end commercial surrogacy in Georgia, permitting only altruistic arrangements. This shift would bar foreign couples—who currently make up 95 percent of intended parents—from accessing Georgian surrogacy services, restricting the practice to Georgian citizens only.
However, Kordzaia remains skeptical about the bill’s future, which has yet to take effect.
“This is moving at a glacial pace, despite the government’s ability to fast-track legislation when it wants to,” she said. “The economic implications are severe—both for medical facilities and the women who rely on surrogacy income. I suspect the bill will ultimately be withdrawn.”
In a country where 11.5 percent of women aged 18-65 live below the absolute poverty line, surrogacy has become a lifeline for many Georgian women struggling to make ends meet. Their stories paint a stark picture of economic desperation intersecting with the global fertility market.
Take Teona, a 42-year-old teacher and domestic violence survivor, who turned to surrogacy twice a decade ago. “As a woman, I wanted to help another woman who couldn’t have children,” she said, her voice tinged with both pride and pragmatism. “Of course, there was financial motivation. My main goal was to buy my own apartment, and I did it—for my child’s future.”
Dr. Keti Gotsiridze, director of the Reproductive Health Center of the Chachava clinic, one of Georgia’s well-established health institutions, said according to the data research of her clinic, surrogacy practice contributes $300 million a year to health tourism. Gotsiridze said 90 percent of their clients are foreigners. Surrogate mothers are paid 25-30 thousand Euros; Chachava works with an average of 300-400 surrogate mothers a year.
For the time being, it seems that the new legislation to change the practice of surrogacy in Georgia has been shelved due to economic concerns. However, the question of how to prevent human trafficking, which has also emerged with the abuse of the existing law, remains unanswered.
Cross-Border Surrogacy Investigation Closes With No Charges Filed
A prosecutorial investigation has revealed an alleged surrogacy trafficking network spanning Turkey, Georgia and Northern Cyprus, highlighting the devastating human cost of unregulated fertility treatments.
The case began on Sept. 3, 2021, when Turkey’s Health Ministry received an anonymous tip about “F. IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) Center,” a fertility clinic in Istanbul’s affluent Beşiktaş district. According to the whistleblower, the clinic was targeting vulnerable young women, including minors, from the working-class neighborhood of Ümraniye with promises of financial gain through surrogacy.
The scheme was elaborate: Women were provided with fertility drugs to use at home for durations ranging from two to 12 days. They were then allegedly trafficked to Georgia and Northern Cyprus using forged documents, with all expenses covered by the network. The fertility medications were reportedly sourced from pharmaceutical warehouses and distributed through a café in Üsküdar, serving as a front for the operation.
Despite the gravity of these allegations, the investigation faced significant hurdles. After a year-long probe, authorities could only identify one suspect, known as A.A., who allegedly recruited the women. The café implicated in the scheme closed its doors just one month before police surveillance began.
When we reached out to M.K., the lawyer who owned the café, he confirmed his ownership but denied any knowledge of the fertility drug distribution, claiming he was also a victim in the scheme.
Another crucial lead emerged regarding Dr. S.T., who allegedly treated the women at “F. IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) Center” and later deleted their medical records. However, police terminated the investigation, citing lack of evidence and the doctor’s clean criminal record.
When reached for comment, Dr. S.T. denied all allegations, dismissing the claims made in the investigation as baseless.
The case took another turn when the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the case in January 2023. The Provincial Health Directorate appealed, arguing that “the investigation was inadequate” and “the material and moral elements of the crime have not been fully established.” Nevertheless, on May 31, 2023, the Istanbul 7th Criminal Court of Peace rejected the appeal without explanation.
The case remains closed, leaving crucial questions unanswered about the fate of these young Turkish women, the conditions they endured, and the clinics involved in Georgia and Northern Cyprus. The Ministry of Health has remained silent on queries about similar reported cases, raising concerns about the scale of this cross-border surrogacy trade.
A Cross-Border Underground Surrogacy Network
A police raid in Istanbul in 2019 exposed a sophisticated trafficking network spanning Turkey, Georgia and Northern Cyprus. The operation revealed a complex web involving a Northern Cypriot ringleader and two Moldovan accomplices who coordinated the trafficking of Turkish women for surrogacy purposes.
During the raid, police discovered large quantities of fertility drugs. According to detained suspects’ testimonies, these hormones were supplied by the Northern Cypriot kingpin and administered to potential surrogate mothers recruited from Turkey. The women were then trafficked to clinics in both Northern Cyprus and Georgia, with one prominent facility identified as “IVF Tours Georgia” in Tbilisi.
To verify whether this clinic continues to engage with Turkish women five years after the raid, we conducted an undercover investigation. Posing as potential surrogates from Turkey, we contacted “IVF Tours Georgia” via email. The response was swift and telling: Not only did they accept our inquiry, but they immediately began discussing financial arrangements and medical screenings. This exchange revealed a striking fact: Despite Georgian law restricting surrogacy to Georgian citizens, the clinic openly offered services to Turkish nationals, highlighting the persistent nature of this illegal cross-border trade.
Lack of Oversight Fuels Surrogacy Concerns in Northern Cyprus
In Northern Cyprus, a growing surrogacy industry operates within a complex web of legal ambiguity and insufficient oversight, despite having well-crafted regulations. Former health minister (2018-2019) and Republican Turkish Party MP Filiz Besim warns that human trafficking cases persist due to inadequate supervision.
“While we have meticulously drafted laws permitting surrogacy, the lack of oversight remains a critical issue,” Besim said. “Our unique position outside international law, due to our unrecognized status, has created vulnerabilities that are being extensively exploited. This has led to the emergence of illicit international networks involved in human, women, and child trafficking.”
Deputy Besim emphasizes that women—particularly from Caucasian countries—are being brought from abroad as surrogate mothers in violation of laws. He notes that due to insufficient oversight, questions remain about the agreements, facilitators, and conditions under which these women are transported.
Our anonymous field interviews and observations reveal serious concerns about surrogacy practices stemming from the country’s lack of oversight. A troubling gray area has emerged where low-income women face potential exploitation. Women may be pressured into surrogacy due to financial hardship, raising ethical concerns about the commodification of women’s bodies and children’s rights.
International organizations like U.N. Women have voiced similar concerns about surrogacy practices in regions like Northern Cyprus, citing these risks and inadequate oversight. They stress the importance of protecting surrogate mothers through proper safeguards: ensuring they are fully informed, free from coercion, and fairly compensated for the risks they undertake
Surrogacy became legal in Northern Cyprus in August 2016 under the Law Regulating Human Cell, Tissue, and Organ Transplantation Rules. A new, more robust bill was drafted in April 2023, though Parliament has yet to convene to discuss these changes.
Northern Cyprus has emerged as Europe’s leading destination for reproductive treatments. The industry’s prominence is evident in everyday encounters in the capital, Lefkoşa, where stories of successful surrogacy arrangements—including a recent case involving a European couple—are commonplace.
While official statistics remain undisclosed, artificial intelligence analysis estimates approximately 500 surrogacy arrangements occur annually in Northern Cyprus. According to LaingBuisson, a London-based healthcare market research firm, the country handles about 11 percent of all egg donation treatments in Europe.
Social Media’s Underground Surrogacy Market
Despite legal bans and restrictions, a thriving underground surrogacy market in Turkey continues to operate in plain sight. There are numerous advertisements openly seeking surrogate mothers on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
In one of these advertisements, we wrote to a woman who said she could be a surrogate mother, with a request to have a child. Ten years ago in Turkey, the woman said she had been a surrogate mother once and explained how the process would work and offered us two methods to help her conceive:
“The child could be from my egg and your husband’s sperm. Would you be okay with that after birth? We’d never need to know each other. We wouldn’t even need a transfer. We could handle it ourselves – inject your husband’s sperm directly into my uterus. Or, we could select healthy eggs and have your and your husband’s eggs transferred to me.”
Most alarmingly, she assured us that certain private clinics would perform these procedures clandestinely, promising there would be “no issues” with birth certificates—a clear indication of document fraud.
The desperation of infertile couples seeking parenthood through these illegal channels may be understandable, but the risks are severe. These back-alley procedures not only endanger the health of all parties involved but also expose them to serious legal consequences. The combination of medical risks and criminal liability creates a potential storm of challenges for vulnerable individuals.
The Delicate Balance: Finding a Legal Middle Ground
Is there a way to craft ideal legislation that prevents exploitation while acknowledging the deep human desire for parenthood? Attorney and professor Dr. Özlem Yenerer Çakmut believes the answer lies in nuanced regulation rather than absolute prohibition.
“We can’t simply ignore the profound yearning of those who dream of experiencing not just parenthood, but the entire journey—from pregnancy to birth,” Yenerer explained. “These are couples who want more than adoption; they want to be part of every moment, every milestone.”
“The challenge lies in striking a delicate balance between regulation and prohibition,” she continued. “A blanket ban isn’t the answer, especially in societies where having children carries immense social and cultural weight. While we can’t legitimize illegal practices, we can work toward meaningful legislation that protects all parties involved while acknowledging these deeply human desires.”
There is also a section of the world strongly opposed to surrogacy. At its forefront stands the Casablanca Declaration, a document signed by 100 experts from 75 countries in March 2023, calling for a universal ban on surrogacy practices.
Leading this charge is Olivia Maurel, herself born through surrogacy in 1991, who has emerged as one of the movement’s most compelling voices.
“Standing against surrogacy means advocating for its universal abolition,” Maurel declared with conviction born of personal experience. “This isn’t just about abstract principles—it’s about defending the fundamental rights of women and children, about protecting human dignity in its most basic form. Surrogacy, by its very nature, undermines these essential values.”
For some, surrogacy represents a last resort in their journey to parenthood. A 46-year-old woman living in Georgia, who chose to remain anonymous, shared the challenging aspects of this process. After having her uterus and ovaries removed due to health issues, she and her husband decided to pursue surrogacy six years ago.
The woman described maintaining close contact with the surrogate mother both before the transfer and throughout the pregnancy. “I monitored her doctor visits, tests and medications regularly. I ensured she maintained a healthy diet, and I was present during the birth. I was with my baby from the moment of delivery.”
Despite being a challenging and costly process, she pursued surrogacy to fulfill her dream of motherhood. “If surrogacy is the only path to becoming a mother, you must give it your all, learn to manage your emotions, and stay focused on your goal. The difficulties and pain are temporary; the love for a child is permanent,” she said.
E.U. Redefines Surrogacy Regulations
Recent legal scholarship challenges the traditional binary approach of outright bans versus complete legalization. Instead, experts advocate for a nuanced international framework that transcends cultural and moral absolutes while protecting fundamental human rights. This perspective emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive national legislation in countries where surrogacy exists, whether legal or not, to safeguard the rights of both women and children.
Amid this contentious landscape, the European Parliament Council took decisive action on Jan. 23, 2024, reaching a provisional agreement to classify exploitative surrogacy practices as human trafficking. The measure was formally adopted on May 27, 2024.
The new framework imposes strict penalties on those who exploit women through forced surrogacy or deceptive practices, while establishing comprehensive support systems for victims. E.U. member states must implement these protections into their national legislation within two years.
The production of this investigation is supported by a grant from the IJ4EU fund. The International Press Institute (IPI), the European Journalism Centre (EJC) and any other partners in the lJ4EU fund are not responsible for the content published and any use made out of it.
This reporting was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalist
About Seda Karatabanoğlu and Zeynep Yüncüler
Seda Karatabanoğlu graduated with a bachelor's degree from Istanbul University's Faculty of Communication in Turkey and a master's degree in European studies and international relations at l'Université Paul-Valéry in France. She worked at Cumhuriyet Newspaper. Her articles have been published on many online platforms such as Euronews Turkish and DW Turkish. Currently residing in France, she continues her work as an independent journalist.
Zeynep Yüncüler is a graduate of Izmir University of Economics, where she studied in the Media and Communication Department. She worked at Milliyet Daily, 'Artı 1' TV, BirGün Daily, ‘Artı Tv’ and Punto24, an independent journalism platform in Turkey. She also served as the secretary for the Journalists’ Union of Turkey's Istanbul branch. She was honored with the best interview award (2016) by the Progressive Journalists’ Association (ÇGD). Currently, she is a freelancer.
#International surrogacy is big business#Surrogacy-related abuse#The Hope for the Future Association#Türkiye#Georgia#Northern Cyprus#The economic implications are severe—both for medical facilities and the women who rely on surrogacy income#Meaning the increasing demand for surrogacy relies on poor women#People so wrapped up in having a biological child they don't think of what consequences the kid will face later on#Health risks tied to genetic history#Legal issues if the paperwork around birth and migration to the country of the purchasing parents are shady#I monitored her doctor visits and tests and medications regularly. I ensured she maintained a healthy diet#Can you imagine doing someone such a big favor just to have them breathe down your neck for nine months?
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@beatingheart-bride
Susannah was grinning from ear to ear and giggling like a madwoman, which she was quick to smother with one of her ill-gotten pastries: Though she had been initially confused, then surprised, by Philippe's response to this account of her and Doreen's girlhood mischief, she was quick to get in the swing of his plan, excitedly absconding with the platter before disappearing back into the passage together.
What a wonderfully nostalgic throwback this was to her youth, to those halcyon days of smuggling sweets through the passageway to the other side of the house, where she and Doreen would enjoy the fruit of their labors amidst light conversation and playful jokes...sitting in a dark passage, lit by a sole candle, leaning up against her beloved, it was a wonderful reprieve from the stress of earlier-especially as she recounted some of her favorite misadventures.
"...my favorite was the homemade strawberry ice cream we stole," she confessed with a shy smile, as she finished her pastry and reached for another. "Doreen and I made ourselves the biggest bowls: We had chocolate sauce, whipped cream, candy, sprinkles, maraschino cherries, chocolate chips...it was, uh, very, uh...v-very decadent, I-I think that's the word Belle would use...we got very, very sick, of course, on so much sugar, Pa and Belle found us lying on the floor in the lounge, very full and very sick...but there were no regrets between us!"
#((that would probably be the most emotional; sobering; and rather vindicating (for emily) installment))#((of 'family reunion': for the de clairs to have to essentially face the consequences of their actions))#((to have a mirror held up to them; making them look themselves in the eye and realize what they've done))#((that it wasn't some 'mad irish brute' that took their daughter from them; but that it was their actions))#((putting her in the path of a violent; manipulative man with a willingness to kill to get what he wants))#((that robbed their daughter of her life before it could really even begin; that it was their inaction; their unwillingness))#((to hear her out when she tried to warn them that her new groom wasn't who he claimed to be))#((that led to her dying; as well as her refusing to seek them out post-mortem!))#((she hasn't seen them for centuries; instead finding a family in her husband; her in-laws; and her friends))#((who have been far more supportive and familial than her own parents! i think that'd be very sobering for them to see))#((to see what their choices have brought upon their daughter; and i agree; that would be the best outcome))#((for the de clairs to accept that there's no going back; there's no repairing that relationship))#((but perhaps; if nothing else; taking some solace in the idea that their daughter is happy now with her family!))#((she's loved and accepted and supported by them where they couldn't; and they could perhaps be comforted by that))#((even if they never play a part in her life again!))#((i'd be genuinely curious to see that play out in a future 'family reunion' installment))#((but i know it'd be so emotionally draining; with a very bittersweet ending!))#outofhatboxes#beatingheart-bride#V:Genderbent
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Tag drop: Seele (Honkai: Star Rail). Listen, I used to write her and I miss her a bit, and also: there's Belobog people around. And also, well, she's much more interesting than people give her credit for. Also, prepare for some 'rewriting', because Belobog's pacing in specific ways kind of blew a little bit much.
#[ seele. ] we tell them 'things will be better tomorrow.' everyone knows it's a lie; but it gets them to sleep with some hope.#[ seele: ic. ] he always says 'humanity's endless conflicts'; but you don't get peace by offering everything up on a silver platter.#[ seele: inquiries. ] that's not the only thing you won't have heard of down here; princess.#[ seele: countenance. ] to all those thugs and gangsters in the underworld; i'm like a spectre always haunting them.#[ seele: introspection. ] the chief's right. sometimes a sharp blade is the only way to get people to come to their senses.#[ seele: meta. ] she got used to people losing their homes. and she got used to people losing their lives. but crying alone was useless.#[ seele: little notes. ] they only eat half their meal; throw the rest away. do they know people below haven't got enough food to eat?#[ seele: wishes. ] where there's hope: there's the will to fight.#[ seele: etc. ] a young girl smiles subtly. 'how? right here; right now; i am alone… but it feels... very lively.'#[ seele: underworld. ] what's more important than miracles; [ seele. is to protect people's hopes for miracles.#[ seele: overworld. ] oleg saw how a look of gloom passed over her tender face. 'let's go back. i don't want to come back here again.'#[ seele: sampo. ] wildfire has countless issues on its place right now. we don't need a side order of koski.#[ seele: sampo. ] so we're there; now it's real. now that you have me; do you want me still? inominati.#[ seele: bronya. ] they go their separate ways: one stepping into the light; and the other into the shadows. until one day; they meet again#[ seele: natasha. ] i learned quickly that tantrums won't get you anywhere. she knows how to give you a taste of your own medicine.#[ seele: oleg. ] i probably owe my life to the chief.#[ seele: hook. ] don't let her appetite for chaos fool you; i think that kid's going places.#[ seele: v. youth. ] everyone in the dark side of town knew that fearless homeless girl. everyone wanted to avoid that wild; stubborn rasca#[ seele: v. underworld. ] just what we all need: more lies about a world that never was and never will be.#[ seele: v. present. ] can you imagine the consequences if we told the people what happened here? they'd be devastated.#[ seele: v. future. ] ... priorities? what do you mean? are you saying rebuilding the underworld isn't one of your 'priorities'?#tag drop
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