Corrine Fournier (FGCU):Teen Pregnancy

In today’s media we keep hearing more and more about teen pregnancy.  We have the show “16 and pregnant”  talking about this issue.  When people start watching this show and reading these articles most think “why are these girls doing this to themselves? They should just have an abortion”.  People say this because you always hear the horrible statistics on how teen pregnancies lead to girls dropping out of school and not receiving higher education and my not even complete high school.  This then leads to the mother and her child going on welfare.  People also say that these teens’ children are more likely to also have a teen pregnancy, so the cycle never stops.  These are the many reasons why people just want teens to have an abortion.  However, the show “16 and pregnant” shows us that we cannot stereo type the teens that get pregnant and show us there are other options besides abortion.  There are two great examples of this with Catelynn and Farrah.

Catelynn is a high school junior from a small town in Michigan. She is so grateful to have her boyfriend Tyler of three years to be there with her through this pregnancy because they both come from unsteady households.  Catelynn’s mom can be described as short fused and unreliable and Tyler’s dad is always in and out of jail.  To make matter worse Catelynn’s mom and Tyler’s dad are now getting married and Catelynn is pregnant with Tyler’s child.  Catelynn and Tyler decide that they are not ready to have a family and decide to put the child up for adoption.  Believe it or not Catelynn and Tyler’s friends are the only people supportive of their decision.  Catelynn’s mom is not supportive of adoption, and she tells Catelynn that she’s sure to change her mind when the time comes. Tyler’s dad is even less supportive. He can’t understand handing your baby to perfect strangers. So Catelynn and Tyler decide to give the baby for adoption against their parents’ wishes.  Tyler’s mom is the only family member who supports them. She drives them to an adoption agency to explore their options. Once there, the social worker, Dawn, gives them some “parent books” to look through, to see if anyone appeals to them. She says that sometimes the kindest thing one can do is be selfless and give up the baby. They agree to think it all over.   After looking over the “parent books” they find Brandon and Teresa that seem like the perfect family for their child.  When they tell their parents about their decision their parents go mad, put the young teens fight back saying they want better for their child then the life they had and have to live.  Then the time came for the baby to be born and they followed through with give up their baby girl for adoption and giving her a better life.Farrah is a popular cheerleader at her Council Bluffs, Iowa high school. She has big dreams, and juggles cheer with her job and grades.  She unexpectedly gets pregnant and rumors start flying around her school.  She has to deal with keeping the baby’s dad - who has proven unfit to be in the picture - in the dark about her news, and it’s getting harder to do with the gossip that’s flying around her.  Finally, Farrah attempts to squash the rumors by telling the team about her “situation.” They understand, and she hopes the drama will end here. After all, she has enough to deal with without this. She’s making big life decisions as a single “expecting” mom. And though her parents feel adoption is the best choice, Farrah’s not so sure.  The rumors keep flying and Farrah decides to quit cheerleading and decides to finish school out at the local community college.  Her mom, still has mixed feelings about her teenage daughter having a baby is her only consistent source of support, and makes it very clear that she doesn’t want Farrah partying or dating at such a serious time. In a last attempt at teenage-ness, Farrah defies her mom to go on a date with a boy from her work. When he bails on her at the last minute, she decides that her young, carefree days are over.  As her due date approaches, Farrah realizes that even her family might not be there for her in the way she needs. Her mom and sister are squeamish, and in the middle of Farrah’s delivery room tour, they reveal that they might not have it in them to be with her at the birth. Then one night Farrah’s water breaks at an inconvenient moment and her mom is left to coach her through the whole process alone. After 8 hours of labor, Farrah gives birth to Sophia, and her mom even cuts the umbilical cord. Motherhood seems to suit Farrah and even though she goes a little stir-crazy sometimes, she still goes out of her way to give Sophia the best life possible with the help and support of her family.There are so many other examples of how our class, ethnicity, and social standings really impact how these teen pregnancies are each affected.  Although, in the end there are other options then abortion and it’s good to hear and now woman are showing that there other options and they are taking responsibility for their actions.

This entry was posted on 9. March 2010 at 02:02 and is filed under Introduction to Sociology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.