The United States has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the world, and although dropping in the past years, is still too high(www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_ATSRH.html). Teenage pregnancy results in less teenagers going to college and more people having to be on welfare. Through this post, I am in no way trying to say anything against those who have had children as teenagers, but rather try and think about what works in helping to prevent these pregnancies. I believe that as a nation, there has been a lot of action towards preventing teen pregnancy such as online resources, national programs, and even ads on television and billboards. In fact, while writing this blog, I was watching a TV program on the CW and there was an addition at the end of the show warning teenagers against teen pregnancy.
This leads me to another point. There is consistently a condescending tone when this subject is brought up. Some people act as if a teen pregnancy could be the most humiliating thing that could happen to a person. This, to me, makes matter even worse. This attitude has to scare young teenage mothers into either not telling their family about their pregnancy or not searching for the help that is out there for them because they feel embarrassed or ashamed. How is that supposed to help any situation?
I'm sure there are people out there who are dead set on being against Palin simply because her 17 year daughter is pregnant and unwed. First of all, that is no one's business but the families and secondly, teenage pregnancy is not by any means a legitimate basis to judge anyone. I am not saying that teenage pregnancy should be supported, but I feel that if there was more support from our communities where young women find themselves in this situation, then they would feel more comfortable getting help and creating a better future for both them and their child.
3 comments:
Other nations have fewer teen pregnancies because the public acknowledges that young people have sex drives and that sex is healthy. In our country, too many people find this embarrassing; after all, sex is dirty and bad outside of marriage. That means in schools, teens hear hypocritical and unrealistic messages about abstinence rather than facts about how to express sexuality without getting pregnant.
Jessie- I agree with what you are saying. Teen pregnancy has is viewed as such a burden in our society that girl's tend to try to hide anything to do with it. Pregnancy is a normal part of life. If you are sexually active, pregnancy is always a possibility. I think that we should be doing more at younger ages to inform kids of the consequences of their actions. We have programs like D.A.R.E. but where are the programs for schools to make students aware of the reality of pregnancy?
Jessie I also agree with what you are saying. In our society teen pregnancy is looked down upon and most women that it happens to feel like they have to hide it. Women should be happy when they learn that they are pregnant, not worrying about what others will think of them. When a couple has sex, they should always be open to pregnancy. Pregnancy is always a possibility when you choose to have sex.
Post a Comment