WHY ABORT FEMALE FETUS
Every unethical act has some lame age-old reasoning behind it
which its staunch supporters use as justification. The cause of female feticide
lies within the cultural norms as well as the socio-economic policies of the
country where the practice prevails.
The most infected (I use the
adjective "infected" because it precisely depicts the malady) are the
South Asian countries like China, India, Vietnam, and Korea, but this social
evil has mushroomed to western nations like the US and Canada. Immigration that
has brought cultural preferences for female feticide across the pond.
What is the rationale, one may
wonder. Surprisingly, the reasons for killing female fetuses aren't quite as
diverse as one may expect.
"Male Children are a Better Investment."
The main reason is the idea that the male offspring will better support
the family. Since sons are seen as the main source of income, even though
today, women have many career options, the common misconception still remains
that it is the male who will help run the house and look after his parents,
while women are viewed as being like cargo, something to be shipped off to
another household.
"Female Children Are a Gamble."
In India, the age-old dowry system puts a damper on the spirits of those
who are blessed with a girl child. When a girl is born, the parents begin to
calculate the expense of her future marriage, the lump sum that will paid to
the future groom's family. They worry that currency may depreciate and
inflation may skyrocket. Because of this, the birth of a girl is seen as a
tragedy waiting to happen.
Women Don't Have Status in Society.
As a
result of institutional and cultural sexism, female children and adults have
less power, status, rights, and money. Even as adults, it's harder for females
to take care of or make decisions for themselves. Centuries of repression have
made inferiority second nature to most women who have been taught the role of
the meek, submissive, docile wife who works relentlessly to cater to the whims
of her husband. Female feticide often happens with the explicit consent of the
mother. Even the mothers-to-be agree to this misdeed out of an inherited
cultural bias and a sense of duty to the family.
Foul Medical Ethics.
With
the legalization of abortion in India, illegal sex determination and
termination of pregnancies have become everyday realities. Professionals in the
medical field are only too glad to help parents realize their dream of a
healthy baby boy. Female feticide is openly discussed in the medical profession
and many pin boards outside clinics have advertisements for abortion that read,
"Pay Rs. 500 [$10 US] today to save the expense of Rs. 500 000 [$10,000
US] in the future." The cost of an abortion is nothing compared to the
expense of having a child, especially a girl.
Industrial Growth.
Industrialization of the health
sector has further established the practice of sex selective abortion. With the
advent of CVS, amniocentesis, and ultrasound, sex determination of the fetus
has become much easier. These manufacturers of high-tech equipment and gadgets
benefit from the preference for male children. Many hospitals are known to sign
long-term contracts with the firms involved in the production of these types of
machines. Often, a healthy percentage of the profit is shared with the
hospital, and both parties enjoy the fruits of rewarding a death sentence.
Edited by -Adonis- - 8 years ago
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