Gender Selection - Sex Selection Technologies Should Be Left to Parental Choice

Tyler Sigler

8/29/11

English 101-015

Margret Fitzpartrick

"Sex Selection Technologies Should Be Left to Parental Choice"

Clay Farris Naff

This article presents the fact that gender selection isn't a new thing, there are old stories that; men would bite their wife's left in to conceive a son, and the right to conceive a daughter; or that men would hang their pants on the left bedpost and do a chant "Ruck ruck roy you shall have a boy." or hang their pants on the right bedpost and chant "Ruck ruck raid you shall have a maid." Now that gender selection is a reality many are actually looking into it. Many tests are going on by Microsort for participating couples, each couple will have to cover the cost of the tests, which is about $2,400, no matter if the test is successful. This practice, however, is banned in Europe. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority recently advised the government of the United Kingdom to start a law prohibiting sex selection for any but the most serious of medical reasons. Though Great Britain did ban this, they defiantly aren't the firsts. Germany passed it's Embryo Protection Act making social sex selection a criminal offence punishable by one year of imprisonment. In the Australian state of Victoria, the sentence is even harsher, according to section fifty of the Infertility Treatment Act of 1995 doctors performing sex selection for non-medical reasons face up to two years imprisonment. This article states that sex selection shouldn't be banned, just that the choice should be left up to the parents. The article also defends the statements being received by those considering this path. Many say that "Unnatural is immoral" Which isn't true according to Clay Farris Naff, he states that just because you aren't letting nature get all the credit, doesn't mean it isn't natural.

I don't agree with this idea of gender selection, but I do agree with this article. No, it may not be my choice, but that's exactly what it is, a choice. Parent's should be able to choose if they want their child to be a "designer baby" or just a baby.

This article isn't neccicarily taking sides, it is just supporting to stop the discrimination of those who do get this done, and not to look down on the child because it is an "abomination". It did an incredible job supporting and sticking up for both sides. This is definitely a good read.