This commentary is in reference to the Ted x talk on challenging gender selection . The Australian speaker, Tereza initially mentions how millions of women across the world are missing due to a desire for male offsprings. She terms this as human rights violation. Tereza further elaborates on the importance of gender equality. She talks about gender biases and how society is restricted in its opinion of a certain gender. The speaker then introduces the concept of Gender Selection. It is a medical procedure where embryos are selected on the basis of their sex and then implanted in the uterus.
The opinions on this technique are varied. While most view this as ethically acceptable, Tereza argues how gender selection is another example of gender biases. Here, she mentions her research across Australia and how she contacted 9 families who opted for gender selection. All the mothers interviewed, wanted a female child. They said they wanted to build an intimate and healthy relationship with their daughters, a relationship that was not possible with male children. Tereza terms this as gender stereotyping. She explains how we, as a society have set restrictions on the personality traits of girls and boys. She then mentions scenarios where a child may refuse to comply with societal norms. How a boy may prefer dancing over soccer and if a girl chooses to remain single. Tereza wraps her talk by saying that gender stereotypes are created by society, and we judge people based on those opinions. She suggests that we must move past these prejudices and let our children live freely. Treza stresses on the need to create a society where people are judged beyond the gender boundaries.
Works Cited
Hendl, Tereza. Challenging Gender Selection. YouTube Video. TEDx Macquarie University. Sydney, 17 November 2014.
