Reference to the story When the desperate search for a boy pushes mothers to the edge, January 15, 2015

Editor,

I read with much interest last week’s main story in this magazine and I can’t help but wonder why some people would go to such great lengths in search of a baby boy. I know that every parent (me inclusive) would love to have both sexes of children but that should never be reason to get out of a marriage just because your spouse can’t give birth to a baby boy.

Society has made us think that boys are somehow better than girls and the African culture has not been helpful in explaining why it is so important. Apart from boys being heirs to their father in the family, I don’t see any other reason why they are so important that one would feel so bad about not having one. I have come across many girls who have grown up to be more responsible than men yet they are presumed to be superior.

This kind of primitive thinking should be done away with because in the end, it doesn’t matter whether it is a girl or boy, any child will grow into a responsible adult. As the Bible says, children are gifts from God and they should be treated equally. My fellow parents, let’s not inculcate such habits in our children lest they grow up to treat their sisters like we are still living in the Stone Age period.

Chantal N