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Sex-selective Abortion

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Should sex-selective abortion be legally permissible?

I hope this is in the right section of the forums. :smile:

If a pregnant woman has full autonomous rights over her own body and its contents, should it be legally permissible for her to choose to abort the foetus if she regards the sex of the foetus as unwelcome?

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Original post by Thaladan
I hope this is in the right section of the forums. :smile:

If a pregnant woman has full autonomous rights over her own body and its contents, should it be legally permissible for her to choose to abort the foetus if she regards the sex of the foetus as unwelcome?

Unless there is a disease associated with it, then no! Although I totally support aborting children based on financial and medical issues and if the mother is not ready yet to have a child.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tNfYvgVLS8
Hell no. I have some sympathy for families who really want a daughter and only have sons (or vice versa) but thats not an excuse for an abortion.
you cannot be pro-choice only if you like the choice
Reply 5
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Thaladan
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14
Original post by gagafacea1
Unless there is a disease associated with it, then no! Although I totally support aborting children based on financial and medical issues and if the mother is not ready yet to have a child.


Leaving aside health issues, why does the reason matter? If a pregnant woman wants to abort the foetus because she doesn't like his/her sex, then doesn't have that right if she has full autonomous control over her own body?
Yes, but doesn't mean they should.
Reply 7
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Robie96
2
Yes


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 8
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Thorsas
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Original post by clh_hilary
Yes, but doesn't mean they should.

I agree with this. Think a woman should be allowed abortion for any reason but this is not a good one! So, as you say, should be allowed but I think almost anyone would have more in depth reasons.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Thorsas
I agree with this. Think a woman should be allowed abortion for any reason but this is not a good one! So, as you say, should be allowed but I think almost anyone would have more in depth reasons.


Well, could simply be that it's their parents' expectation or the culture.
Legal? Probably.

I disagree with abortion in general, but I believe it is a moral choice (up to about 10 weeks) not a legal one.

So legally speaking, I believe they should have the right to abort the baby without needing to give justification.
Absolutely not. If you start allowing parents to choose the features of their children, that's a social disaster waiting to happen.
Original post by Thaladan
Leaving aside health issues, why does the reason matter? If a pregnant woman wants to abort the foetus because she doesn't like his/her sex, then doesn't have that right if she has full autonomous control over her own body?


I completely agree, abortions are given if allowing the pregnancy to continue will negatively affect the mothers health. If having a child of a particular sex will damage their mental health then an abortion should be given.
Reply 13
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Thaladan
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Original post by roroyourboat
I completely agree, abortions are given if allowing the pregnancy to continue will negatively affect the mothers health. If having a child of a particular sex will damage their mental health then an abortion should be given.


How serious should the negative effects of the mother's mental health be in order to justify aborting a foetus based on gender? Would a mild preference for the opposite sex suffice, or would it have to be something more serious?

Just trying to stimulate a discussion here. :smile:
Reply 14
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Thaladan
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Original post by Chlorophile
Absolutely not. If you start allowing parents to choose the features of their children, that's a social disaster waiting to happen.


I realise it's not quite the same thing, but doesn't this already happen? Thousands of pregnant women choose to have an abortion every year because of features such as Down's Syndrome and other birth defects.
Original post by Thaladan
I realise it's not quite the same thing, but doesn't this already happen? Thousands of pregnant women choose to have an abortion every year because of features such as Down's Syndrome and other birth defects.


There is a line - and I admit it's a very, very blurred line, with things like Down's being right in the middle - between aborting foetuses on the basis of health and aborting foetuses on the basis of traits. As I said, it's an incredibly difficult thing to judge and it's definitely a slippery slope argument, but I think selecting for the sake of health is slightly more morally acceptable than literally creating a "designer baby".
Reply 16
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Simes
16
Original post by roroyourboat
you cannot be pro-choice only if you like the choice
The opposite.

One can be pro-choice specifically because the reason for the choice must be acceptable.
Original post by Thaladan
How serious should the negative effects of the mother's mental health be in order to justify aborting a foetus based on gender? Would a mild preference for the opposite sex suffice, or would it have to be something more serious?

Just trying to stimulate a discussion here. :smile:


I believe that if a woman goes to an abortion clinic then she must think that the effects on her mental health will be bad enough. Also, in my opinion, there is no outright way of measuring potential threats to someone else's mental well being. :smile:
Original post by Simes
The opposite.

One can be pro-choice specifically because the reason for the choice must be acceptable.


Either you believe in a woman's right to choose or you don't.

Would your opinion change if there was a woman of a certain religion or culture where having a baby of a particular sex was extremely important, and who went to a doctor saying that she would be exiled from her community if the pregnancy were to continue..?
of course they should have that right - why force a woman to have a baby of an unpreferred gender?! that's her own goddamn business if abortion is legal - sure, it's not "moral", but the law and morality are two totally different things - it's legal to insult people, but it's not moral to insult people for example - let people live freely and don't force them to do what you want them to when they're harming nobody in the process
(edited 9 years ago)

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