Cryos International, one of the world's largest sperm banks is refusing potential donors who have red hair. The bank's director told the Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet that there simply wasn't much demand for sperm from red-headed men.
“I do not think you chose a redhead, unless the partner - for example, the sterile male - has red hair, or because the lone woman has a preference for redheads,” Ole Schou, director of Cryos International, told the Danish paper. “And that's perhaps not so many, especially in the latter case.” Cryos has strong demand for sperm from red-headed men only from Ireland, according to Schou. Ten percent of the Irish population has red hair, according to the website of KQED. That's compared to 2 percent to 6 percent of the U.S. population.
Schou said the bank can afford to be picky, because it has a waiting list of 600 guys who are ready to give donation their best shot - and because the bank has reached its capacity of 70 liters of semen. Men typically ejaculate 2 to 6 milliliters each time.
According to Schou, it's guys with brown hair and brown eyes that most recipients are looking for. Dr. Cappy Rothman, medical director of the California Cryobank sperm bank said that the ideal sperm donor stands six feet tall and has blond or brown hair, blue or green eyes and a “medium” complexion. Indian sperm is also reportedly in high demand and short supply because sperm is not allowed to be legally exported outside of India.
Cryos pays donors up to $500 (£316), and sends its semen to over 65 countries worldwide.
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