Sperm race: the fastest can also be the dumbest
This Friday, an unusual competition took place: a sperm race between two students. One from the University of Southern California and the other from the University of California, Los Angeles. A grotesque derby that has taken the rivalry between the two institutions to the height of human stupidity. The academic world is no longer what it used to be. The race was organized by the startup company Sperm Racing, founded by four students involved—surprisingly—in the financial world of cryptocurrencies and technology.
The race was a mix of MotoGP and e-sportsThey explained that the semen samples were placed in a 20-centimeter microfluidic chip designed to mimic the uterus. Using chemical and fluid dynamics, the real-life environment that sperm navigate when they must fertilize an egg was simulated to the maximum extent possible. High-resolution cameras captured the microscopic movements, which were projected live on large screens with commentary, slow-motion replays, and real-time rankings. The race was held at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, with a capacity for 4,000 spectators, who paid at least 20 euros for a ticket. The race was also available in streaming, with the participation of betting houses. The Sperm Racing project initially secured an investment of $1.5 million with the support of venture capital firms and companies in the biotechnology sector.
As always, the spectacle has been disguised as falsely noble causes. Founders and wealthy individuals Eric Zhu, Nick Small, Shane Fan, and Garrett Niconienko have stated that the aim is to transform the way men's health is perceived, "turning fertility into a healthy and measurable competition." They say it has served to break taboos and stimulate conversation about reproductive health.
The competition doesn't seem particularly healthy, but rather merely serves economic and ideological purposes. Rather than breaking taboos, it solidifies the belief that male fertility is related to virility and status. Semen is associated with the source of power, where sperm speed is typical of natural champions.
The race may be camouflaged as a thrilling spectacle, but it exudes a terrifying eugenic force. The selection of males based on the quality of their semen is reminiscent of experiments aimed at improving the genetic qualities of a human group. It has an undertone of biological racism and forced selection of individuals. It's no wonder that suddenly, young multimillionaire males appear, sacralizing and quantifying fertility, in a context in which Elon Musk boasts of having fourteen children, some with supposed high capacities.
The virtues of sperm vigor have another side: that of women as simple containers to engender, gestate and give birth. One only has to remember the brutality ofThe Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and the power associated with the ceremony, the euphemism used for ritualized rapes intended to impregnate slaves. Sperm races serve to restore men's supposed procreative supremacy. High-definition social Darwinism that wastes a million and a half dollars on a race and gives sperm a number plate. Be careful, because besides being the fastest, they can also be the most idiotic.
