Social Consequences of the Human Sex Ratio Imbalance

The human sex ratio imbalance is a rare phenomenon unless additional manipulations. The male-female ratio is relatively the same in every generation. However, there are some natural changes that occur at birth and during the development. The factors causing the alterations include multiple births, race, maternal and paternal age, birth order, and the parents' psychological and health history (James 873). The preference of a certain gender in some nations has caused alterations in the natural gender ratio in the world. Huge imbalance in the sex ratio can cause different consequences ranging from economic and political to social ones. This paper discusses the social consequences of human sex ratio imbalance.

The number of boys born can be more than that of girls in case of selective births. Some cultures tend to prefer a male child to a female one. When the number of boys born was twice as that of the girls, the natural social scale would be distorted causing unprecedented consequences. The marriage rate would be imbalanced as there would be much more men than women. Almost half of the male population would not manage to create a family. The high number of unmarried men in a society is a perfect recipe for the most social ills and delinquencies. These ills include human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Rape would also be on the rise since relationships with women would be considered a rare commodity. More cases of homosexuality would be experienced due to the sex imbalance (Mathews & Hamilton 20).

These consequences clearly test the moral values of a society. Procreation is the backbone of humanity; with fewer marriages, the number of births would also decrease. Low population levels present social risks. A fragile family translates to a fragile society. A society with social ills is incapable of any development, be it social or economic.

The higher female birth rate, on the other hand, also would have its social implications. Some people argue that these outcomes are less serious because males are more prone to engaging in social ills than females. In such a manner, men are more likely to engage in different criminal activities such as conflicts or violence earlier in life (Mathews and Hamilton 20). Social evils such as rape, sex-assault, prostitution, and domestic violence would decline since the main perpetrators of such delinquent behavior are men. With more females in the society, most males would be in stable relationships; hence, they would be less likely to engage in such activities. However, the practices such as polygamy would become popular as more women would like to join the marriage institution. Women empowerment is a social strength, and it is encouraged in any community. When males were in the minority, the women would gradually master their skills and knowledge. Women would be more respected, and violence against females will decrease significantly. It means that the women would enjoy their rights to the full extent and occupy their rightful place in the society. Their role would be defined at the workplace rather than be limited to child bearing. Empowerment of women would ensure that the societies, in which they live, develop and grow (James 873—900).

Evidently, there are more benefits of the second ratio (more females than males). Natural determination of the human sex ratio is perfect for the survival of humanity. Alterations of these patterns would cause consequences, with which society is not ready to deal. Any sex-selective practices should be discouraged in order to benefit the next generation. Law enforcement against sex-selective abortion is necessary because the medical process is carried out by practitioners with few restrictions. Punitive actions should be enforced to deter physicians from engaging in these activities. This step is essential for ensuring that social and economic rights of both females and males are guaranteed.