Your Turn
Do you think the show 16 And Pregnant reduced teen pregnancy? I think what it did was make teens who do get pregnant think of becoming a star. I'm not sure there are teens getting pregnant because of the show, but I think if they do get pregnant they think they might become famous. MTV gets tons of letters and videos each year from teens who are pregnant and want to be on the show.
Nice try, Entcunt:
ReplyDeleteTrends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing
Teen Births
In 2012, there were 29.4 births for every 1,000 adolescent females ages 15-19, or 305,420 babies born to females in this age group.[1] Nearly eighty-nine percent of these births occurred outside of marriage[1]. The 2012 teen birth rate indicates a decline of six percent from 2011 when the birth rate was 31.3 per 1,000.[1]The teen birth rate has declined almost continuously over the past 20 years. In 1991, the U.S. teen birth rate was 61.8 births for every 1,000 adolescent females, compared with 29.4 births for every 1,000 adolescent females in 2012 (see Figure 1). Still, the U.S. teen birth rate is higher than that of many other developed countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom.[2]
Rhysie there was something I saw yesterday where MTV took credit for this stat because of Tern Mom and Pregnant at 16 and how popular the shows were w/ teens
ReplyDeleteEnty, I agree with you wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteI saw that press release yesterday - saying the birth numbers were down - but wondered what the margin of error was.
I saw a documentary on TV last year about young girls whose sole motivation for getting knocked up was to become a Teen Mom star ... they looked up to the likes of Janelle and Farrah; and disturbingly, there were a few that had mothers / grandmothers who supported them in their proposition!
I wish MTV would show the 'harder' side of raising a child - especially stories where the young parents don't have any support and have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet - because I'm sure that's a harsh reality and it would take the gloss off what MTV shows.
And stories where the father abandons the kid. That's what happened to me (though my mother wasn't a teen mom, but she was unmarried and my father took absolutely no responsibity for me whatsoever.)
DeleteAnd stories where the father abandons the kid. That's what happened to me (though my mother wasn't a teen mom, but she was unmarried and my father took absolutely no responsibity for me whatsoever.)
Delete*Teen Mom*
ReplyDeleteHow about a teen who ends up giving the child up because it is so hard or CPS takes the kid away.
ReplyDeleteI think that because it is more socially acceptable, it seems like there are more young unmarried girls with children than there was a decade ago. Before they'd be hiding, getting abortions or adopting out the child as well.
If a teen gets pregnant to b on this show either:
ReplyDeleteTheir parents didn't instill proper morals.
OR
They are morons (Darwin)
Either way the show is not at fault.
Teens have always been getting pregnant. It ebbs and flows. It will always BE, though...
ReplyDeleteRelax
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ReplyDeleteOk I agree with this one 100 pct, Enty. Its fucken disgraceful behavior imo. Its rewarding sluttybehavior from children. Go ahead susy fuck the football team and pop out a kid you cant afford and if youre pretty we will put you on our show so you can popularize how underage sex and teenage motherhood is what all teenage girls should aspire to become.
ReplyDeleteFucking disgraceful. You nailed it, enty
This^^ I was a teenager (graduated from high school though), and there was no show, no money from a show; I lived on my own in a small apartment, went to college full-time, and managed to do so without any money from MTV.
DeleteActually teen pregnancy rates have dropped, whether or not that had anything to do with mtv may never be found.
ReplyDeleteThey glorify the girls, most of whom become horrible messes. I also think the History Channel's Gangland glorifies gangters. Anything for ratings, I guess.
ReplyDeleteSpot on Bunni. Its very sad.
DeletePMK's next project - 16 and Pimped Out, Teen Hookers
ReplyDeleteCount, you're up!
Dumb people watch that.
ReplyDeleteDumb people don't f word.
Only not dumb people and prophets get pregnant.
End of story.
take it easy, meanie.
ReplyDeleteI read an article recently that viewers of Teen Mom and the like actually had unrealistic views on been a pregnant teen/mom as opposed to those who did view the show. The exact opposite of the shows intent. So hopefully, numbers are decreasing with every year. And I'm also hoping it's due to education efforts. BUT I agree that teens watching the show could think that because these girls do it, they can too. The 1st couple seasons did the trick, but like any reality show, you could see the money in these girls season after season and know how much they are getting paid per episode. This is not the reality of most pregnant teenagers.
I remember being young and my friends thinking that being a teen mom was no big deal. That we would be able to handle it, etc. I don't really think I understood the gravity of motherhood until my mid-twenties or so. Heck, I'm 32 now and engaged and my fiance and I still high five every month I get my period.
*those who did NOT view the show. Sorry, I need to proofread more.
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ReplyDeleteI watched first season. From your comments, i can see many of you did not. They showed giving up baby for adoption and how heartbreaking it was. It showed their dreadfully dysfunctional families. It showed girls missing proms, school trips, struggling and failing at caring for baby and trying to go to school. It showed not having enough money, the boys gradually drifting away while teen mother left to do everything. It showed the girls accepted at college but not being able to go. The lack of sleep, the fighting. There was nothing glamourous about it, nothing fun. If any teen watched the show and they got out of it its a cool thing to do, they are already hopeless idiots. Dontt blame the show. If they dont think Farrah and Amber are cautionary tales, they are already gone.
ReplyDeleteI don't know... I listened to NPR today and they interviewed the researcher. It was quite interesting.. They also interviewed one of the teen moms. Here's a non clicky link.. http://www.npr.org/2014/01/13/262175399/is-16-and-pregnant-an-effective-form-of-birth-control
ReplyDeleteI think Enty is justy trying to be provacative today. Here's hoping that it may have kept a couple teebs from becoming pregnant...
a couple 'teens'!
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