Sikhi and abortion

[puzzled]

17 minutes ago, MisterrSingh said:

Dowry should be looked at very closely when talking about abortion. But not in the simplistic way most people do. It should analysed for the role it plays in Indian society as a whole. Overall, I think it's a bad practice that's disapproved of by our religion, BUT in some cases I've seen the "fear" of dowry is the difference between an unruly and troublesome bride behaving herself at her in-laws (because she realises her father has paid for these items beyond his actual means, and if she has to return home due to her kartootah, she's going to be in trouble) and a bride who destroys her marital home because there's no "fear" to keep her check. In a perfect world we wouldn't require something like dowry to make people behave themselves, but we don't live in a perfect world.

It is quite complex. Like you said a lot of them ask for dowry so the daughter-in-law doesn't start playing up. Then at the same time some feel they have to give a dowry, like it's an expectation. And then you have some people who have a lot of money and they give dowry to show off, it's part of the pomp and spectacle. I think a lot of it is because of greed as well. 

My mami got married in the late 80s, now and then whenever she's in a strop, she feels the need to remind everyone that when she got married her father sent some some tables and chairs with her. 

[Ranjeet01]

There has been another bit of research on sex selection. I will post the link.

In Punjab, if the couple already has 2 boys and they have a third pregnancy. They actually prefer a daughter. 

Therefore there is far less likelihood of abortion.

However, they are more likely to have a sex selected abortion when they have already two daughters and they are on the third pregnancy. 

[MisterrSingh]

45 minutes ago, puzzled said:

It is quite complex. Like you said a lot of them ask for dowry so the daughter-in-law doesn't start playing up. Then at the same time some feel they have to give a dowry, like it's an expectation. And then you have some people who have a lot of money and they give dowry to show off, it's part of the pomp and spectacle. I think a lot of it is because of greed as well. 

My mami got married in the late 80s, now and then whenever she's in a strop, she feels the need to remind everyone that when she got married her father sent some some tables and chairs with her. 

Yes, it's heartbreaking to see very poor families who are struggling to feed themselves, being forced to assemble dowries for pathetic, greedy in-laws who don't care about the unreasonable nature of their demands.

However, I've lost count of the times when I've seen and heard the bride herself haughtily ordering her father to ensure her dowry is extravagant and voluminous, lol, even though she can see how difficult it is for her parents to assemble it.