By Elyse Hayes
The movie 'Gattaca' takes place in the future where pre-determining the basic health and IQ of a baby is possible. The main character of the film was conceived naturally and is physically and mentally inferior to those around him who are close to perfect.
This idea of genetically engineering human beings seems like something from science fiction, until now.
Scientists and doctors have recently come up with a way for parents to successfully determine the gender of their child. Though they claim it is moral because it provides a way to avoid hereditary diseases, it is doubtful the procedure would be used just for health purposes.
One of the many problems that pre-determining sex would cause is it might throw off the balance of the male-to-female ratio of the population. Because many hereditary diseases occur in males more than females, couples may choose to have only female children. Over time, the effects of this could be devastating to the world population.
Another problem with the acceptance of this procedure is it would not be long before couples could choose their baby's physical features or IQ as well. Where would it stop?
Would technology eventually take us to the point where the rich would be healthy and beautiful and the poor would be considered pathetically 'human?' The idea seems far fetched, but with the success of sex determination in tests, it appears to be a possibility.
Presently, the procedure is offered only to parents with two or more children of the same sex and those who carry genes for genetic disorders. There are already too many stigmas and prejudices against people with disorders. The last thing we need is to train a bunch of parents into thinking they shouldn't have to accept disorders in their own children.
Sex selection through sperm sorting is wrong. Not only will it lead to other types of selection, but it is wrong because it sends the message that only perfect families are worth having. It will eventually become a way for those who can afford it to make their children as perfect as possible.
The resources spent developing these procedures could be better spent to help families with children who have genetic disorders. We should try to improve their lives instead of implementing a system in which their lives would be viewed as a mistake.