Influence of Teen Pregnancy

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Shows about kids having kids are causing more problems then they are solving.

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Candice Marbaker
March 12, 2010
Filed under Opinion & Editorial

I feel that shows like “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” tell teen girls that it’s “ok” to be pregnant, when really most people in society are looking down on them and wondering why they are so irresponsible. They are thinking “how could these girls and boys not be thinking about the consequences that come with making the decision to take it one step further.”  Yes, sometimes it happens on accident, but I think these shows filming what the girls are going through makes other teens want to get pregnant for the attention. Yes, I see how they may think it will reduce teen pregnancy but it also may help increase it to.

It’s amazing just how irresponsible some of the girls on these shows are. I mean one girl actually said that her and her boyfriend didn’t use protection and she doesn’t know how she got pregnant. How could you be so oblivious to the situation? People really don’t think it is as bad as it is until they are actually in the situation. It just goes to show how the entertainment industry, particularly MTV, affects peoples choices. In any society people will do anything for attention, especially teenage girls who have low self esteem and feel left out or unnoticed.

Yes, teen pregnancy happens, but I think that if the shows weren’t on the air it wouldn’t give some teen girls the idea of getting pregnant. These shows also influence girls who want to be famous and will do anything to be famous by showing them a way to become the next reality star. Girls who will do anything to get noticed would be the most influenced by these shows.

These shows seem to emphasize all of the nicer parts of teen pregnancy and somewhat ignore the negatives, such as having to grow up way too fast,  or not going to college because of the need to take care of the baby. Another negative is losing friends because most people don’t want to stay friends with someone in high school if nobody likes them. Another would be that many girls have to raise the baby by themselves because most guys get scared and run away.

In attempting to highlight a negative aspect of our society, these shows actually serve to glamorize teen pregnancy.