Teen Pregnancy

Teen pregnancy is an issue in United States, it is one issue that should wait until teens are married and know what they are doing with their lives. This issue came about in the early in the 1950’s – 1960’s. Teen pregnancy is a teenage girl between the ages 13-19 (girls who haven’t reached adulthood) having unwanted or wanted babies. Janet Bode once stated in her book, “Emotions run everywhere, scared, sad, disappointment and preparation for what is about to happen” (Bode 51). If we do not act now, teen pregnancy will be out the roof. Teen pregnancy needs a stop put to it no matter what, teens are still children themselves and they are still learning how to take care of themselves:

In the motion picture The Pregnancy Pact a group of high school girls, no older than sixteen, make a pact to become pregnant. Their goal, instead of graduating together, was to have only girls and raise them together. Throughout the movie the girls make references to the pregnant Jamie-Lynn Spears and the movie Juno stating that being fifteen or sixteen and pregnant was the most glamorous thing that could happen to them and not one thing would top being pregnant. This didn't end that way though. Instead the girls realized that having a child so young is not a walk in the park. The media’s perception of teenage pregnancy has changed over time from being a social taboo to a glamorous after school activity. This change

Juno is a 16 year old who is in her junior year of high school. She is raised in Minnesota and lives with her father and step-mother. Juno and her friend Paulie Bleeker have a one-time sexual encounter which resulted in Juno becoming pregnant. When Juno realizes that she is pregnant, she confided in her best friend Leah to help her make a decision regarding the pregnancy. Whether she should keep the baby, abort it or give it up for adoption. In the beginning of the movie, Juno has set her mind to get an abortion at a clinic named Woman’s Now. Once Juno arrives to the clinic she is confronted by a protestor who informs Juno that her baby has finger nails and a heartbeat. At first, Juno ignores this information, however, once she enters the clinic she is consumed by what the protestor has told her and finally runs out of the clinic, ultimately changing her mind not go through with the abortion. After careful consideration she decides to keep the baby and give it to a more deserving family. Juno finally confides in her parents and her step mother that she is pregnant. Her parents accept her decision and show love and support to her. The movie takes place in 2007, this was during a time where teenage pregnancy is against cultural norms.

She asked me about names and I told her to not jump the gun on this. I do not want a baby with him, but that is certinally not to have an abortion. It’s inhumanly to have an abortion just because I hated the father. “What are you going to do?” She handed me a bottled water, I sighed and looked at my cheerios. “I really don't know, I’m definelty going to tell Tate, and maybe he wont kick me out of his house. If he does then it looks like i have to go back home, I really don't want to go back though. I don't want to show up pregnant and bury a burden on michael’s shoulders.” I whisper, Jamie shook her head. “I’m not telling you what to do, you already know the answer somewhere in your heart.” She smiles, I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, that helped a lot!” I was being sarcastic and she knew

Teen pregnancy is still a major issue regardless of the declining pregnancy rate. In 2006 birthrates among teenage girls age ranging from 15-17 were more than 3 times as high as

“I could have been in college, I would have been working,” Briana said. “Nova slows me down. Sometimes I do wish I would have had an abortion, but I love Nova, I do not regret her. It’s just hard sometimes” (Maier). Briana DeJesus, a Puerto Rican teenager, was unfortunate to become pregnant at a young age, which had put a set back to all her future plans. DeJesus is a child of a single mother and has grown up in poverty. She believed that she had the love and support from her child’s biological father resulting in her keeping her child rather than terminating. As revealed, she often regrets her decision and wonders how her life would have been if she terminated her pregnancy, but she would not turn back the clock and had an abortion, as she loves her child.

Many people from all over the world deal with teen pregnancy every year. Teen pregnancy is talked about in many forms of writing. One book in specific that talks about the issues and problems that come with this is the first part last written by Angela Johnson. In this book, a boy named Bobby gets his girlfriend Nia pregnant while they are still in high school. Throughout the novel Bobby talks about the fun times and bad times leading up to his child being born while also explaining how good his life has been since that moment. Throughout the whole novel, Angela Johnson slips in little bits of symbolism to hint at Bobby coming of age and realizing that he needs to man up and take responsibility for his actions.

The next minor claim Willis presents is that the life of an unborn child is less valuable than that of a woman who already has a history and has experienced life. According to Willis, a woman has more worth because she has “feelings, self-consciousness, a history, social ties” (2005, p. 515). By having to carry a baby, all of these important parts of her life are in jeopardy of being harmed (Willis, 2005). The concern Willis expresses for a woman’s life changing

Samuel, a comedian who jokes and talks about abortion even during inappropriate times, found herself pregnant that time and Plan

The form I have chosen to use in order to depict my satirical piece about teenage pregnancy is that of a Teen Vogue magazine. I chose this form due to the fact that it is a well-known magazine for teenagers. I also chose this due to the fact that Teen Vogue and many other women’s magazines comprise of stereotypical, unrealistic, naïve and irrational content aimed towards female that can be, in a sense, highly demeaning.

A majority of humans think it is okay for women to show an excessive amount of skin, but it is unacceptable for mothers to breastfeed in public. Social experimentalist Joey Salads directed a YouTube video during 2016 called, Sexy vs. Breastfeeding in Public, he conducted the video to show how people responded to a mother breastfeeding in public. In 2007, a Breastfeeding Mama Talk article, Ms. Soomoro, a mother nursing in a Texas Victoria Secrets store, was asked to not nurse in the store. The two mothers received shocking comments expressing, they should not breastfeed in public. The representation of society and its differing perspectives demonstrates how these texts create opposing responses to women’s appearance.

Teenage pregnancies have been looked down upon in society throughout the years, and when races become a factor, society tends to perceive them in a much more harsh manner. The movie Juno portrays the pregnancy of a teenage white girl and how society treats her. With her choice to continue her pregnancy, and give the child up for adoption, allows Juno to discover the girl that she is. This movie is seen as Juno’s coming of age story, which doesn't necessarily have to mean puberty, this is more of how she transforms into adulthood. Her pregnancy takes her on a journey of self-discovery.

Cases that involve teenage pregnancy are often complicated and affect a large network of people. The case involving Katharine Westley is a case of teen pregnancy. Katharine is a 17 year old high school student who contacted the Family and Children’s Services: Unmarried Parents Services. Recently, Katharine discovered that she and her boyfriend of six months, James Koslik (age 19), are expecting a child. The parents of both Katharine and James have stated that they have certain expectations for their children. They are asserting their beliefs and moral onto their children. For instance, they think that the two should get married, get jobs, and raise the child. The parents even offered to help Katharine and James “get off to a

A topic in American society that has proved to be an ongoing, and growing issue is that none other than teen pregnancy. In recent years, teen pregnancy rates have been increasing, which ultimately led to the topics increase of public and media attention. In American society teen pregnancy is often associated with negligence, as well as being irresponsible. In American society sex education for children is underdeveloped and instead society tends to use fear and shame to highlight/combat the dangers of unsafe or underage sex. American society uses fear to instill the idea that if you become pregnant as a teenager you are a burden to society. Along with fear society loves to shame its young women who have unfortunately stumbled upon the

Teen pregnancy is declining though. It is mostly because of the advances in birth control practices but also teenagers are realizing the potential harm having a baby can do to their future. More teens have seen their older sibling or friends with a baby and don’t see them going out to parties or the club anymore and realize it