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This has been in the news here a lot lately. Reports of women from certain ethnic groups choosing to abort babies after finding out the gender at their 20 week scan has led several Canadian hospitals to stop telling patients the gender of their baby.
Toronto News: Six GTA hospitals won
I've never seen/considered this viewpoint (quoted from article below) before and think it is a valid observation, why is aborting for gender so incendiary but aborting for other reasons (other than viability issues) isn't? I can see his point, the ethical paradox that banning abortion for gender-selection reasons is "unfair" to mothers, especially those of certain ethnicities. Not saying I personally don't find aborting for gender tragic, after all I'm a parent of the less-preferred sex, but I also am in the camp that all abortions are tragic.
Quoting from the article:
Bernard Dickens, a professor emeritus of health policy at the University of Toronto, wonders if it is even ethical to implement a blanket policy due to concerns over one segment of the population.
“Note the paradox that abortion for no reason — because it’s untimely, unplanned, not wanted — that is acceptable. So then we’ve got the paradox that an abortion for no reason (is ok), but abortion for what seems to be a gendered or sex-based reason is not,” he said.
“Making policies to deny that population what is important to them — in itself, it is a difficult ethical and legal question. Is that racial profiling, is that a form of racial discrimination?”
That's just HORRIBLE! :nono: It just takes one or a few stupid people to screw it up for everyone!! :hair:
Then there are those sweet innocent little ones who didn't even ask to be born..
I'm in the GTA and unknowingly went to one of those hospitals that would not tell with my first baby. I was really annoyed as I went in all excited to find out the gender and they refused to tell me. At the very least they should have told me that policy when I booked my 20 week scan with them. With my second and third pregnancies I called around and asked the policy before booking my appointment.
I think that gender abortion is sad, but wholeheartedly disagree with this and any policy that treats adults like children. Being denied information about my child "for my own good" pisses me off.
I don't like the first part, but I like your second paragraph, just so you are aware :)Quote:
Originally Posted by RedCanoe
Are the parents doing self abortion or having a Dr do it? If a trained person preforms the abortion and believes that it is only being done because of gender then it is on them. If the parents are doing something themselves then the should be forced to seek counceling before their insurance will pay for any future prenatal care.
I understand how people who know that a genetic condition runs in the family with a certain gender and they choose to abort. If there is something majorly wrong with the babies brain, heart, or organs then ok abort. I know some cultures can't deal with mental issues.
But then again should the family be forced to carry an unknown gender and do something later after it is born... like the father from India who tortured a baby girl for months until she dead from major injuries. Or the abandoned babies left to die in all kinds of places.
I think that there has to be some consideration for how far along someone is when they choose to abort. You could take the argument to extremes and say if it is okay to abort a 20 week+ old baby, why can't you just kill it when it is born? I mean, what's the difference really after 20 weeks and a newborn? They are both helpless beings. So, I think there has to be boundaries because there are always people who take things to the extreme. Honestly, that's what the majority of laws/rules are made for- those that go to the extreme.
Most of us would never consider murdering someone. Or stealing. I don't need a law to prevent me from doing either. The laws are not for me though, they are put in place for those that have a disregard for others and this is not that different.
It would be very irritating to not be able to find out and I think it is extreme not to be able to find out so I don't necessarily agree with the policy but I understand why they put it into place.
The policy has trickled down to private u/s places here in Canada. When I was trying to find a place where I could get a gender scan, pretty much every place I called said they'd only do it after 20 weeks. When I asked why, they explained the late abortion issue and said the government is putting a lot of pressure on them to stop telling women early enough for them to arrange an abortion.
It changed here in bc too about 1.5 years ago! We can go to a private scan and pay to find out! My friend just did at 23 weeks... I assume she had to wait til that gestation to find out... But not sure?!?
There are actually some people making that very argument right now and calling it "after birth abortion". After-Birth Abortion: The pro-choice case for infanticide. - Slate Magazine