Ironically, though men carry approximately 2.8 percent less genetic material than women, men have often been thought of as the stronger sex. This dominant identification has translated into higher salaries, greater political authority, and, at times, assumed moral superiority. In the United States and much of the Western world this view has been vehemently challenged. In particular, in the last half of this century, the rise of feminist thought and theory has questioned gender stereotypes. Though Western concerns regarding equality are clearly significant, they pale in comparison to those facing females in some other societies.
Westerners take for granted the mere right to be born.
This right is far from guaranteed in countries like China or India where the economic ramifications of having a daughter can lead to practices of female-preferential abortions and infanticides. It is into this legacy that a relatively new technology has been introduced. Last September, scientists announced they had developed a sperm-sorting method that had demonstrable success rates in achieving a pregnancy of the desired sex. Once sorted, the sperm can be used to fertilize an egg or eggs either by means of in vitro fertilization or other methods of artificial insemination. Like many genetic advances, this technology addresses an important medical need.