abstract This article focuses on the processes followed to ‘normalise’ the practice of sex selection within families of Xhugxwala Administrative Area in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study is guided by the theory of social construction. Using the ethnographic research method data were collected from 15 participants, who included unmarried and married young and middle-aged women with children, elderly women and midwives. Findings revealed various socially constructed practices used and understood by community members to predict the sex of unborn children and to assist women to give birth to an infant of the sex of their choice, using ‘normalised’ sex selection methods. As a result of these social constructs, pregnancy and birthing within this community are viewed as an area where nature may be manipulated in order to fulfil the desires of the family regarding the sex of an unborn child. Such cultural practices ‘normalise’ heterosexual sex selection and have an impact on the affected individuals, supressing diversity of sexual orientation in society.

中文翻译：

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南非东开普省 Sabata Dalindyebo 地方自治市的 Xhugxwala 家庭性别选择的“正常化”

摘要 本文重点介绍南非东开普省萨巴塔达林迪博国王地方自治市 Xhugxwala 行政区家庭性别选择实践“正常化”的过程。本研究以社会建构理论为指导。使用民族志研究方法收集了 15 名参与者的数据，其中包括未婚和已婚有孩子的年轻和中年妇女、老年妇女和助产士。调查结果揭示了社区成员使用和理解的各种社会建构实践来预测未出生儿童的性别，并使用“正常化”性别选择方法帮助妇女生下她们选择的性别的婴儿。由于这些社会结构，该社区内的怀孕和分娩被视为一个可以操纵自然以满足家庭关于未出生婴儿性别的愿望的领域。这种文化习俗使异性恋的性别选择“正常化”，并对受影响的个体产生影响，抑制了社会中性取向的多样性。