It is currently illegal in India to use ultrasound to determine the sex of an unborn child. The concern is that families are more likely to abort female fetuses than male fetuses.
But doesn’t that law “interfere with the decisions of a woman and her doctor?” Why is “the state” getting involved? Are there “Bible thumpers” there too?
Actually, if sex-selection abortion is restricted in India, China and other eastern countries, the alternative does not appear to be the “back-alley abortion,” but infanticide, the swift killing of female newborns. Is this less objectionable than an illegal abortion, since the mother is not at risk, or is it worse, because the “viable fetus” is now outside the mother’s body?
Don’t assume you know my views. Please give me yours. Thanks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex-selective_abortion_and_infanticide
People regularly decry laws restricting abortion in countries other than the US.
I suppose my question is about the opinion of abortion on demand advocatges of this law.
I mean advocates
Right to choose is an American invention. It’s not considered a human right. Are you always amazed at the fact other countries follow laws other than our own?
Comment by Michael E — January 23, 2006 @ 5:40 pm
This is one more terrible symptom of a society that devalues female children. They are seen merely as a child that will cost you a great deal of money to marry off. If this whole dowry nonsense is dispensed with, then there would be no need for such laws.
Comment by 5cents_worth — January 23, 2006 @ 8:56 pm
very interesting point…..you have to approach it from a human-rights based perspective, and yet be pragmatic.
in china they are trying to legislate against confuscianism and female infanticide but the reality is that full term killings are quite common, and there is such a poor female-male ratio there now that many are raised to be sold into slavery to rich men. education is the key, but in the short term i don’t have any answers, not even for myself.
women’s fertility is such a contentious issue, it is blamed for so many of the world’s ills. and the regimes who make abortion an issue are the same ones who have been funding forced sterilisation in countries such as bangladesh and brasil for decades. it’s difficult not to be political about it, but in the end I say it is the mothers’ right to choose. if we give the decision to someone else it can only be worse.
Comment by Krystabelle — January 26, 2006 @ 2:26 am