India’s obsession with the male child is so ingrained that thousands of baby girls are killed even before they’re born. To cash in on this craze, a Malayalam daily – Mangalam – even went as far as to give its readers ‘tips’ that would help them get the much coveted male heir.
Although the article does add the disclaimer that these methods can’t really ensure 100 per cent success, it still insists on the solid logic behind these so-called useful suggestions. Some of these tips include having sex on specific days of the week. Couples desiring a baby boy are also recommended to include mutton, dry grapes and salty food in their diet.
It is a shame that Indian society’s misogynistic tendencies are still prevalent in the 21st century. In fact, they may have even gotten worse. Latest census figures, which were released in 2011, show that there were 814 girls for every 1,000 boys compared to the statistics on 1961 that listed the number of girls at 976.
