The Future is here :: essays papers

The Future is here The idea of being able to choose the gender of a child has not always been around. This controversy did not come about until recently because now we have the technology to perform this act of sex determination. Some say that we should be able to choose the gender of our children. However, other people think that we shouldn’t be able to because they say that it is experimenting with nature. Also, that it is unnatural. I used to think the way of the second viewpoint, but not anymore. There is absolutely nothing wrong with couples being able to choose whether they want to have a baby girl or a boy. According to an article in Newsweek called The Brave New World of Sex Selection by Thomas Hayden, this is possible. The article states how it is done. To do this, scientists measure DNA in sperm cells and pass the millions of them through a tiny tube in a single file. They then separate the â€Å"girl sperm† from the â€Å"boy sperm†. They can tell the difference because â€Å"girl sperm† has more DNA. The separated sperm cells are then used, one or the other, to impregnate a woman to have a girl or a boy. In a study, fifteen out of seventeen women with the â€Å"girl sperm† had girls. Getting the Girl by Lisa Bellkin, an article in the New York Times Magazine, states a 93% success rate. Some mothers might only want a girl when others might want a boy. If a couple has a strong opinion that one sex is easier to raise over the other, such as a boy, they might not want the hardship of trying to raise a girl. A family could also want a boy to carry on the family name. In my opinion, I would go through this process to have a girl. I think that since obviously I am a girl, I could do a better job of raising a girl than a boy. A parent could think that they know more about one sex than the other and choose to raise that sex. Another reason that I think people should be able to choose the gender of their child is because if you already have three boys in your house, it could be time for a change.