Sex Selection – Cultural and Ethical Issues
Authors: Malhotra Jaideep 
Published: January 2024

This lecture on “Sex Selection – Cultural and Ethical Issues” delves into the complex and controversial topic of sex selection, exploring its technological, cultural, and ethical implications. While there is an argument of parent autonomy and their rights to choose and have the option to control and design their family structure, the topic of designing one’s own family is still considered highly contentious as well as controversial. At first glance, such a practice seems quite justifiable as the technology enables parents to avoid having disabled children and serious genetic disorders and maintain balance in the family structure. Yet, on the slippery slope and fine line drawn between what is justifiable and acceptable and what is a definite strong NO, people have become increasingly misguided and ill steered into a rather dark and mischievous side of the practice of sex selection.

The lecture begins by discussing the cultural aspects of sex selection, examining how different societies view gender preferences and how these preferences impact reproductive choices. It explores historical perspectives and cultural norms that influence the desire for a specific sex, highlighting variations across regions and communities. The existing patriarchal traditions in most of the Asian countries, masculine hegemony, female seclusion, social and cultural norms with regards to gender roles all contribute to a male biased sex selection. As the Chinese say, “With one son you have a descendant, with ten daughters you have nothing”, and Amartya Sen has rightly stated the concept of ‘missing girls’, the social norms of preference for a son has led to a situation of ‘floating men’ or ‘bare branches’ or ‘surplus males’. These skewed sex ratios are a threat to the society in ways that may not be realised at the moment. Women-trafficking, expansion of prostitution, young surplus males failing to find partners will be prone to pursue satisfaction through vice and violence, which may intensify socially disruptive behaviour, low self-esteem, rape, anti-social behaviour, threatening regional and international security.

While at the national level, all south Asian countries have taken a paternalistic approach by making strict regulations regarding the abortion and female feticide (sex selective abortion SSA), what remains to be addressed is the society’s mind-set towards ending discrimination at the womb. Couples in such societies are under constant coercive forces in their family and outside, for sex selection, and may perhaps be stigmatized by their society for not having a male child. So, is it even up-to the parents at all to decide their family structure?

The evidence shows that banning SSA is not enough to control SSA; banning SSA resembles treating a disease but not the cause of the disease. Women’s devaluation in many Asian societies is embedded in religious beliefs and traditional cultural practices, and uprooting this culture may not be easy and immediate.

A good stewardship approach is what is the need of the hour, wherein, the countries develop and implement policies, legislations, and programs within a holistic context, addressing women’s education deficit, rights, socioeconomic disadvantage, health, and nutrition, living conditions, so that they are not perceived as ‘Paraya Dhan’, meaning someone else’s property, but seen as independent, empowered members of the society.