Student activity: Debating sex selection

Sex selection has become a hot topic for debate in recent years. The development of new reproductive technologies makes it possible for the first time to choose the sex of children. But should parents be allowed to make use of these new technologies? Under what circumstances, if any, is sex selection permissible and who should be responsible for making this decision?

In this activity you will have an opportunity to find out more about and discuss key issues in the sex selection debate. A topic guide, video interviews and written opinion pieces involving leading figures in the debate are provided to help you prepare your arguments.

• For students - Content for students including videos, written opinion pieces and the topic guide
• For teachers - Everything teachers will need, including lesson notes and a video showing a discussion about the activity
• Taking debate further - If you've now got the debating bug, find out where to go from here
• Credits

This classroom activity is based on the debate format used by the Debating Matters Competition - a national debating competition for sixth form students developed by the Institute of Ideas.

Debating Matters seeks to reward content and ideas over debating style, and aims to engage both the debaters and audience within a free-flowing but rigorous format.