Me personally I dislike the show because of how it depicts the people involved especially the mothers before the pregnancy and after. As we discussed in the class Wednesday the issue of morality, when the show first comes on the teens are portrayed in this positive light. Then all of sudden you hear those tragic words,BUT "I'm pregnant" after they just shed this positive image on us as them being all goodie goodie. Is it not possible to still be positive and pregnant. It's like they don't give a lot of the mothers a alternative motive. After their image is "destroyed" for having a baby is when all the problems come along for instance Leah and Corey who are now in a custody battle for their twins or Jenelle who has been on youtube fighting and all has a record (http://elektroradio.com/leah-messer-and-corey-simms-inside-the-breakup-and-battle-for-the-twins/ )
1) Do you think the pressure of being in the spot light is to much pressure for these youth mothers like Janelle, Leah, and Amber?
2) Do you think MTV takes into consideration what effect they will have on these families when they cast these people?
3) Could the fact that the Teens are receiving money play a factor in their deviant actions?
Dorsey
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
OctoMom and the Duggars
Below is a video of an interview with the OctoMom Nadya Suleman. If you are not familiar with her story, you can view the video below and get a little look into her story. She currently has 14 kids which she had artificially inseminated through en-vitro. She used the same man for every procedure but he has not been involved at all in any of the children's lives. Although she has help from friends and family it is clear that she struggles being a single mom. Also, being involved in the media she often deals with rumors about her obsession to look like Angelina Jolie, her welfare checks, her inability to care for her children, and her relationship with her babies daddy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkKslz42k5E&feature=related
On the other side of the spectrum there is a family, with a hit T.V. show, named the Duggars. They are a very religious family that do not believe in contraception. They currently have 20 children and may have more. Having seen a couple episodes, it is surprising to see how loving the parents are toward each other and their children. They have a clear concise plan laid out each day for each child and, with the occasional 'fit', they are very well behaved children who respect their siblings and parents.
1. These two stories are similar in a lot of ways, but also very different in the way they are portrayed. Do you think that because Nadya, the Octomom, has no father figure in her children's lives that they can never have a life like the Duggars, or is that just circumstance?
2. When you hear of friends or family having twins or triplets, you tend to think of all the hard work that lays ahead of them. Do you think having that many kids, like the Duggars and Nadya, is just too many to be able to give all of them enough attention and care?
3. The Duggars religion plays a huge role in their family. Regardless of religion do you think it would be appropriate to consider the option of contraception or that it is important to stay strong to your beliefs no matter the situation?
-Lauren Bellm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkKslz42k5E&feature=related
On the other side of the spectrum there is a family, with a hit T.V. show, named the Duggars. They are a very religious family that do not believe in contraception. They currently have 20 children and may have more. Having seen a couple episodes, it is surprising to see how loving the parents are toward each other and their children. They have a clear concise plan laid out each day for each child and, with the occasional 'fit', they are very well behaved children who respect their siblings and parents.
1. These two stories are similar in a lot of ways, but also very different in the way they are portrayed. Do you think that because Nadya, the Octomom, has no father figure in her children's lives that they can never have a life like the Duggars, or is that just circumstance?
2. When you hear of friends or family having twins or triplets, you tend to think of all the hard work that lays ahead of them. Do you think having that many kids, like the Duggars and Nadya, is just too many to be able to give all of them enough attention and care?
3. The Duggars religion plays a huge role in their family. Regardless of religion do you think it would be appropriate to consider the option of contraception or that it is important to stay strong to your beliefs no matter the situation?
-Lauren Bellm
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Sex Ed, STI'S and Contraceptive use
I found the following article discussing the types of contraceptives. Please read over the article and answer the questions please.
http://www.avert.org/birth-control-contraception.htm
*If it won't let you click on the link, copy and paste the link into a new window browser and it should work than*
1. Some states require that in order for you to obtain contraceptives you must have parental consent. Do you feel that this would possibly increase teen pregnancy in these states because many teenagers would be too afraid to ask their parents for consent? With that being said do you think all states should make it legal to obtain condoms or any other contraceptive without their parents knowledge?
2. Many people don't know about the alternative contraceptives besides the pill and a condom. How important is it that schools emphasize the other types of contraceptives besides the condom and the pill? the schools that Where you personally thought about the other methods listed in the article?
3. Who do you feel is responsible for teaching sex education?
4. At what age should sex education be learned?
5. Do you believe sex education encourages young people to have sex or does it actually reduce the chances of the person wanting to have sex?
-Chris M.
http://www.avert.org/birth-control-contraception.htm
*If it won't let you click on the link, copy and paste the link into a new window browser and it should work than*
1. Some states require that in order for you to obtain contraceptives you must have parental consent. Do you feel that this would possibly increase teen pregnancy in these states because many teenagers would be too afraid to ask their parents for consent? With that being said do you think all states should make it legal to obtain condoms or any other contraceptive without their parents knowledge?
2. Many people don't know about the alternative contraceptives besides the pill and a condom. How important is it that schools emphasize the other types of contraceptives besides the condom and the pill? the schools that Where you personally thought about the other methods listed in the article?
3. Who do you feel is responsible for teaching sex education?
4. At what age should sex education be learned?
5. Do you believe sex education encourages young people to have sex or does it actually reduce the chances of the person wanting to have sex?
-Chris M.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Not So Secret Life of the American Teenager
ABCFamily has a series titled Secret Life of the American Teenager. The show began with fifteen-year-old Amy finding out she was pregnant by the school player, Ricky, after her first time having sex. Ricky initally denies being the father but eventually assumes responsibility. Throughout her pregnancy her friends abandon her to a certain extent and she forms relationships with other people, mainly Grace, a Christian, and Adrienne, Ricky's on-again-off-again girlfriend. Grace attemts to support Amy by urging her to have the baby. Amy also meets Ben, who is romantically interested in her and wants to help her with her baby. Ben also wants to marry Amy but everyone goes against it, saying he is not the father of her child so she shouldn't do that to him. Later Amy has the baby and Ricky says he'll be there for his son, John. To get up to date, I'm skipping some of the information. Currently, Grace lost her virginity to her boyfriend and her dad died in a plane crash. Ben and Adrienne had sex to get back at Ricky and Amy and are now expecting a daughter. Now, Ben wants to marry Adrienne. He says he doesn't want his daughter to know her parents weren't married. Amy and Ricky are currently dating and being a family, despite any lingering feelings that may exist for Ben and Adrienne respectively.
Click here to see the trailer for next weeks episode.
In the three seasons this show has been going, there have been different sexual encounters that have all had serious consequences. Amy became pregnant after her first sexual encounter; Grace's father died after she broke how vow of virginity until marriage; Adrienne, someone who was sexually experienced, became pregnant after having sex out of revenge. While Grace's situation was out of her control, Amy and Adrienne have had serious consequences of sex without a relationship. They become outcasts in the school and among their friends. Is the show sending bad messages about premarital sex to younger viewers of the show?
Marriage is also a big issue in the show. When Ben wanted to marry Amy, no one agreed because he wasn't the father. Now that Adrienne is pregnant, Ben wants to marry her, despite his dad protesting he should wait to get to know her. Ricky was showing interest in other girls, but suddenly decided he should be with the mother of his son. ABCFamily even has a poll where thrity-three percent of responders said they should get married because "they are having a baby!". Should getting married for the sake of a child be pushed over getting to know the person your marrying?
The show advertises the website stayteen.org as a resource to prevent teen pregnancy. However, there is no guarantee that viewers will visit the site. And even if they do, there is no way to know how much they will read and how much they will retain. Currently the show only discusses condoms and birth control pills as forms of birth control. However the show has two cases of where neither method worked. Should this show and others like it discuss more ways to protect against pregnancy and STIs or leave it to the viewers to learn on their own or from other sources?
Sloane H.
Click here to see the trailer for next weeks episode.
In the three seasons this show has been going, there have been different sexual encounters that have all had serious consequences. Amy became pregnant after her first sexual encounter; Grace's father died after she broke how vow of virginity until marriage; Adrienne, someone who was sexually experienced, became pregnant after having sex out of revenge. While Grace's situation was out of her control, Amy and Adrienne have had serious consequences of sex without a relationship. They become outcasts in the school and among their friends. Is the show sending bad messages about premarital sex to younger viewers of the show?
Marriage is also a big issue in the show. When Ben wanted to marry Amy, no one agreed because he wasn't the father. Now that Adrienne is pregnant, Ben wants to marry her, despite his dad protesting he should wait to get to know her. Ricky was showing interest in other girls, but suddenly decided he should be with the mother of his son. ABCFamily even has a poll where thrity-three percent of responders said they should get married because "they are having a baby!". Should getting married for the sake of a child be pushed over getting to know the person your marrying?
The show advertises the website stayteen.org as a resource to prevent teen pregnancy. However, there is no guarantee that viewers will visit the site. And even if they do, there is no way to know how much they will read and how much they will retain. Currently the show only discusses condoms and birth control pills as forms of birth control. However the show has two cases of where neither method worked. Should this show and others like it discuss more ways to protect against pregnancy and STIs or leave it to the viewers to learn on their own or from other sources?
Sloane H.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Abortion VS. Adoption
i found the following article through google by typing in “abortion vs. adoption” into the search bar. It caught my attention because it seems to have been done by a religious individual who i correctly guessed would have some intense opinions. Please read the following short article and respond to the questions i have below it.
Why People Choose Abortion Over Adoption
I was recently involved in a discussion about a sperm donor (or his estate, if I recall correctly, but it isn't important) being sued by a lesbian couple to whom he had donated his sperm. A child was born, the child was adopted by the lesbian couple, the male donor's estate was sued for money.
The knee-jerk reaction to this kind of case seems to be that it is wrong to view the natural parent as having any obligation to support the child once the child has been adopted by another. But that knee-jerk reaction is, in my view, wrong.
Parents have an unbreakable and permanent natural law obligation to provide for their children. Adoption is one way to provide when the natural parent is unable to do so directly: it is a mercy available for the sake of an otherwise impoverished child. In adopting a child, another person or persons take on a parallel parental responsibility.
But adoption cannot break or in any way impair a natural parent's obligation. If a man gives up his child for adoption because he wants to party and doesn't want the responsibility, he has done a wicked thing. If the adoptive parents fall on hard times and can no longer provide, or if the natural parent comes into means, then the natural parent has a moral obligation to provide.
This doesn't mean that the natural parent would be in the right to attempt to take the child back: that would only be the case if it was in fact best for the child to be taken back as opposed to simply getting outside support in her present circumstances. If the adoptive family is a healthy place for the child to be, then the natural parent may have an obligation to keep his nose out of it and write checks. Deal with it, Dad: you fathered the child.
I think this unbreakable natural law obligation is one of those things that we can't not know, at least at some level. This in turn drives people to choose abortions: they know that once they've brought a child into the world, that child forever has legitimate claim to their support; and that nothing can break this obligation.
1. “Zippy Catholic” is saying that the reason people choose abortions is because they know that they will still be morally responsible for the child if they give it up for adoption. This raises two questions:
a. Do you think that a birth parent should be forced to be any way responsible for their child after they give it up for adoption?
b. Do you think that he is right in saying that factor is a big reason in deciding for abortion against adoption?
2. This author doesn’t go into this, but according to your own beliefs, how do the responsibilities and choices of “dealing with your consequences of having sex” differ from choosing abortion and choosing adoption? For example, this author believes that even though you give your child up, you are still obligated to help support them. I believe that contradicts the fact that he seems okay with abortion because that doesn’t seem like taking your responsibilities on and supporting your ‘mistake.’
3. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, what are some other reasons you can think of that people choose abortion over adoption? What are some reasons to choose adoption over abortion?
-Cheyane Frizzell
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Put a ring on it?
Celebrities Who Had Kids Out of Wedlock
By Amy Harrington & e67f7217319b3210VgnVCM100000a0c1a8c0RCRD
Published August 21, 2009
| Getback
Considering that Penelope Cruz has never publicly admitted that she's been dating Javier Bardem since 2007 (and believe us, if we were dating Javier Bardem, we'd be bragging about it), it makes sense that she's declined to address recent pregnancy rumors.
Still, when the always sexy Spanish starlet was photographed in baggy clothes, she had tongues wagging that un niño might be on the way.
While it may have been shocking in the past when stars gave birth to children out of wedlock, nowadays more and more celebrities are having kids without first tying the knot. Cruz's best friend, Salma Hayek, ultimately married her baby daddy. But other famous Hollywood couples have decided to have families without the benefit of marriage.
Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry
Halle Berry had tried marriage twice, and it didn't go all that well either time. Her first husband, Atlanta Braves outfielder David Justice, reportedly left Halle suicidal. Her second union, to musician, Eric Benet, ended in 2005 amid claims that he cheated. The most beautiful actress in the world deserved happiness. It seems she finally found it with longtime boyfriend, (the equally attractive) model Gabriel Aubry. Two-and-a-half years after they started dating, Halle gave birth to their daughter, Nahla Ariela. And while Berry has said she'd like to give her baby girl a little sister or brother, she's also been clear that she has no intentions of walking down the aisle for a third time, telling the London Daily Mail, "Gabriel and I have a great partnership and a lovely daughter. But I once was stupid enough to say, in a previous relationship, 'I'm going to be with this person forever,' and realized, as I grew, that I don’t know if forever is possible."
Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves
Matthew McConaughey seems to be on a love child roll with model girlfriend Camila Alves. She gave birth to their son, Levi Alves, in 2008 and is due to give produce another McConau-spawn in late 2009. Maybe it's the fact that the shirtless-surfer doesn't want to put on a tuxedo or that his motto, "Just keep livin'" doesn't end with "and settle down," but either way, wedding plans do NOT seem to be on the agenda anytime soon.
Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber
Naomi Watts met actor Liev Schreiber just prior to filming 2006's "The Painted Veil," and they've been dodging speculation about whether or not they're married for years. While Liev has called Naomi his wife on a couple of occasions, no evidence exists that the two actually tied the knot, and earlier this year Naomi said that Schreiber had given her a ring but they weren't rushing to the altar. They will, however, be forever bound by their two sons: Alexander, born in 2007, and Samuel, who came along less than a year and a half later.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
The relationship of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie provided the biggest gossip fodder of 2005. Were they or weren't they? Did he leave wife Jennifer Aniston for Angie? On January 11, 2006, not only did Jolie confirm that she and Brad were a couple, she also announced that she was pregnant with his child. It wouldn't be their first or their last. The couple has five other children: three adopted kids (Maddox, Zahara, and Pax) and biological twins (Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline). Rumors that managing such a big brood has doused the passion that once fueled their romance were kicked up again recently with gossip that Brad was unhappy with Angie's attention-grabbing antics on the red carpet at the "Inglorious Basterds" premiere. But they still look happy to us.
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams met and fell in love while playing a married couple in 2005's "Brokeback Mountain." Not long after, they were engaged, and baby girl Matilda Rose was on the way. Their unfortunate split just two years later preceded Ledger's tragic death in 2008. Williams has said it's been hard for her to balance being a single mother with her career, but it looks like help at home might be on the way. She's rumored to be engaged to director Spike Jonze, whose upcoming film adaptation of Maurice Sendak's book "Where the Wild Things Are" should make Matilda and lots of other kids very happy.
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck might have made more tabloid headlines as half of Bennifer, but it was Jennifer Garner not Jennifer Lopez who ultimately won his heart. Garner started dating her "Daredevil" co-star in 2004 (after Ben and J-Lo's September '03 wedding was canceled), and the couple married less than a year later. With the wedding news came confirmation that Jen was pregnant and little Violet Anne was born five months later. The Afflecks seem like a pretty normal couple – this is not the spotlight-seeking Bennifer of years gone by. In fact, Bennifer II seems more content to stroll to the local market with Violet and her little sister, Seraphina, than to walk the red carpet.
Heidi Klum and Seal
Seal was either a really, really good guy or blinded by Heidi Klum's dazzling beauty when he married her in 2005. Not only had Heidi just given birth to a love child, it wasn't even his. The "Project Runway" host had recently said auf Wiedersehen to Flavio Briatore and was pregnant with his child when she met the British musician. Heidi and Seal fell in love, she had baby Leni, they married, have had two baby boys, and are expecting a girl in October 2009. Everything is wunderbar.
Madonna and Guy Ritchie
Perhaps not surprisingly, controversial pop icon Madonna has had not one, but two love children. The first, her daughter Lourdes, was born in 1996 to the singer and her personal trainer boyfriend, Carlos Leon. The second, Lourdes' half-brother, Rocco, is the son of British film director Guy Ritchie. While Madonna and Leon never wed, she did walk down the aisle with Guy just four months after Rocco's birth. The couple later adopted a son, David, in 2006 but split in 2008, which caused a bit of a headache for Madonna when she went back to Malawi to adopt another child on her own. But the Material Girl won out in the end and was granted sole custody of little Mercy in 2009.
Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn
Trailblazers in the art of staying happily unwed, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn hooked up on the set of "Swing Shift" in 1983 and have been together ever since. Three years into their relationship, they had a son, Wyatt (now 23). Goldie's daughter, Kate, might have been rebelling when she gave birth to her own son, Ryder, in 2004: she'd actually been married to his dad, Chris Robinson, for four years. Go figure.
Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal
Days before Farrah Fawcett succumbed to cancer in June of this year, she got a visit from her only son, Redmond. Red's dad, Ryan O'Neal, made his boy promise to tell his mother that he got out of rehab for the day and to conceal the ankle shackles that would tip Farrah to the fact that Redmond was actually just out of jail for a couple of hours to see his mom one last time. The only child of the "Charlie's Angels" and "Barry Lyndon" stars has had a slew of personal problems in his 24 years, among them, witnessing the turmoil in his famously unwed parents on-again/off-again, 30-year love affair.
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
File this in the "could-be" category as no baby has yet been birthed. But it's not often that Kourtney Kardashian makes headlines without Kim or Khloe. But recently the oldest DASH owner revealed that she's five months pregnant with Scott Disick's baby. She and Scott have had an on-again/off-again relationship, which included a few very public rocky moments. On her family's reality show, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," one episode revolved around mom Kris Jenner's suspicion that Scott was cheating on her daughter, and on last season's finale, Kourtney and Scott broke up after she heard another girl in the background of a phone call (in a true act of maturity, he hung up on her, and then said she disconnected him). All of this is to say, we wish them lots and lots of luck.
We have talked in class about how the average age of marriage is getting later and also about how back in the 1950s when people got pregnant, they got married. Here are some things I thought about after reading this…
1. Why does it seem to be okay for so many celebrities to be having children out of wedlock? Is it because of their age? Is it because they are financially stable? Is it because they are famous? Do you think non-famous people who are the same age and have careers are viewed in the same way if they have children out of wedlock?
2. We talked in class a lot about “the path” that society has deemed acceptable… is it considered acceptable to have a child out of wedlock if you at least have the career part of your life figured out?
3. Does it change the situation if people have a child without being married but intend on getting married later on to that partner?
4. This article uses the phrase “the benefit of marriage.” What are the benefits of marriage? Is marriage a benefit at all?
Alyssa K.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
CHOICES
In class this week we briefly discussed "choices". We are all faced with them everyday some small some huge ,but most of the time it's the outcome of those choices that make us really think about our choices. The debate of the choice in this class has been avoid thus far in the semester so I feel it's appropriate to discuss it further more.
While discussing issues like abortion, being a parent or giving the child up for adoption I asked some of my close male and female friends about their opinion on these topics.
The questions consisted of:
#1 How do you feel about abortions? and Would you ever have one you're self or be willing to let your partner get one??
#2 Would adoption be considered an option?
#3 What would be the outcome if one wasn't for an abortion?
I asked 2 females and 2 males which in one case 1 was a couple.
The first was a female very religious and very family oriented.
Her response: Abortion/lives are not supposed to be left up to the power of man. An abortion is not an option I knew the consequences of my actions and now I'm willing to deal with them whether I do it alone or with my partner. She continued to say a life is precious and shouldn't be left up to choice
Her response to #2: Given my circumstance I would considered the thought ,but I would always feel a sense of regret not knowing how my child will turn out. Ultimately she said if the cons of her situation out weighted her pros she would give up the child for adoption.
Her response to the #3: Because it's me I wouldn't care about how the other felt when it came to my well being and the child. So I would take care of it on my own and wash my hands of the situation.
The 2nd female I asked who was in a relationship brought up some good points as well
Her response to #1: I'm not against abortions or for them but I do feel in certain cases yes and some no. I would only get one if i was rapped or absolutely wasn't 100% with whom the partner was. Meaning if I didn't feel my partner was capable of caring for it.
Response to #2: I wouldn't give my baby up for adoption because I know I would miss sharing those childhood moments with them also the fact of not knowing how their living or who there with.
Response to #3: It all depends on the partner and how we feel as a combined unit. I'm not for or not against so I can't say until I'm in that predicament.
The two females made some valid points and I was eager to hear the males perspective on it.
Males Responses:
Response #1: I don't really agree with abortion for the simple fact that it's not my body nor would I force my partner to get one. Although I would be very scared if she was to go through with it. For the most part though I can't have that on my heart especially if we continue to mess around and have unprotected sex.
Response #2: As a man not having a father I wouldn't cause I want to give my child the opportunities that I was never given with my dad. I want to be involved in my child's life as much as possible and I can't do that if I give them away.
Response #3: Like I said in the beginning it's not my body I wouldn't force it and I wouldn't persuade her to do so. As my father not being there I'm glad my mom took it upon her self to have me cause obviously he wasn't going to.
Male number 2 had some different responses of those to male number one and also I found out something that i didn't know.
Response #1 I'm for abortions I'm not ready to be a father nor close to being ready. I've been with someone who had an abortion before and it hurt me and still does knowing that I convinced her to get one later finding out that is was twins. At the same time we both made that choice to do so.
Response #2 People often laugh when I say i won't give up my child but my partner got an abortion ,but that's a different feeling....like i don't know...it's like you know they out there some where and they probably don't even know you exist. They might even be looking for me.
Response #3 I've been in that situation and trust me it ain't easy so from now on I'm more cautious and I think before I act.
After asking these questions I didn't completely agree but I could understand how and why they felt this way. Given what I just told you how do you feel about the questions.
#1 How do you feel about abortions? and Would you ever have one you're self or be willing to let your partner get one??
#2 Would adoption be considered an option?
#3 What would be the outcome if one wasn't for an abortion?
While discussing issues like abortion, being a parent or giving the child up for adoption I asked some of my close male and female friends about their opinion on these topics.
The questions consisted of:
#1 How do you feel about abortions? and Would you ever have one you're self or be willing to let your partner get one??
#2 Would adoption be considered an option?
#3 What would be the outcome if one wasn't for an abortion?
I asked 2 females and 2 males which in one case 1 was a couple.
The first was a female very religious and very family oriented.
Her response: Abortion/lives are not supposed to be left up to the power of man. An abortion is not an option I knew the consequences of my actions and now I'm willing to deal with them whether I do it alone or with my partner. She continued to say a life is precious and shouldn't be left up to choice
Her response to #2: Given my circumstance I would considered the thought ,but I would always feel a sense of regret not knowing how my child will turn out. Ultimately she said if the cons of her situation out weighted her pros she would give up the child for adoption.
Her response to the #3: Because it's me I wouldn't care about how the other felt when it came to my well being and the child. So I would take care of it on my own and wash my hands of the situation.
The 2nd female I asked who was in a relationship brought up some good points as well
Her response to #1: I'm not against abortions or for them but I do feel in certain cases yes and some no. I would only get one if i was rapped or absolutely wasn't 100% with whom the partner was. Meaning if I didn't feel my partner was capable of caring for it.
Response to #2: I wouldn't give my baby up for adoption because I know I would miss sharing those childhood moments with them also the fact of not knowing how their living or who there with.
Response to #3: It all depends on the partner and how we feel as a combined unit. I'm not for or not against so I can't say until I'm in that predicament.
The two females made some valid points and I was eager to hear the males perspective on it.
Males Responses:
Response #1: I don't really agree with abortion for the simple fact that it's not my body nor would I force my partner to get one. Although I would be very scared if she was to go through with it. For the most part though I can't have that on my heart especially if we continue to mess around and have unprotected sex.
Response #2: As a man not having a father I wouldn't cause I want to give my child the opportunities that I was never given with my dad. I want to be involved in my child's life as much as possible and I can't do that if I give them away.
Response #3: Like I said in the beginning it's not my body I wouldn't force it and I wouldn't persuade her to do so. As my father not being there I'm glad my mom took it upon her self to have me cause obviously he wasn't going to.
Male number 2 had some different responses of those to male number one and also I found out something that i didn't know.
Response #1 I'm for abortions I'm not ready to be a father nor close to being ready. I've been with someone who had an abortion before and it hurt me and still does knowing that I convinced her to get one later finding out that is was twins. At the same time we both made that choice to do so.
Response #2 People often laugh when I say i won't give up my child but my partner got an abortion ,but that's a different feeling....like i don't know...it's like you know they out there some where and they probably don't even know you exist. They might even be looking for me.
Response #3 I've been in that situation and trust me it ain't easy so from now on I'm more cautious and I think before I act.
After asking these questions I didn't completely agree but I could understand how and why they felt this way. Given what I just told you how do you feel about the questions.
#1 How do you feel about abortions? and Would you ever have one you're self or be willing to let your partner get one??
#2 Would adoption be considered an option?
#3 What would be the outcome if one wasn't for an abortion?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Teen Mom Amber-Felony charges
'Teen Mom' Amber may face felony charges
By Anna Chan, TV Editor
Not only is "Teen Mom" star Amber Portwood being investigated by the police in Anderson, Ind., for domestic violence, she could face felony charges for beating on ex-fiance Gary Shirley in front of their toddler, Leah, according to HollywoodLife.com. The incident was caught by MTV's cameras and aired on Sept. 28. (The episode airs again on Oct. 29.)
The Coalition Against Domestic Violence told the website that domestic violence in front of a child under the age of 14 in that state can result in felony charges. Law enforcement in Indiana confirmed to HollywoodLife.com that the charges are a possibility in Portwood's case.
But that's not all. The Indiana Department of Child Services is also investigating the situation. The DCS told HollywoodLife.com that anyone who suspects or witnesses child abuse must report the situation to the Indiana Child Abuse Hotline, which means the department may soon be calling in potential witnesses.
Could Portwood's neighbor Tiffany Harless be a potential witness? In the current issue of Life & Style Weekly, the magazine reported that police were called to Portwood's home in April after she and Harless got into a physical confrontation over a parking spot. Harless told the magazine that during the entire fight, Leah was alone in the home. "Her child was upstairs the whole time by herself. No one else was coming or going out of that house, and no one was looking out for the baby."
'Teen Mom' Amber Portwood's Real MTV Salary: $280,000
· Filed under:
· TV News
Amber Portwood, star of MTV's 'Teen Mom' makes $280,000 a year. We'll give you a minute to digest that fact.
Ready? OK, good. According to HollywoodLife, the young mother was forced to reveal her salary during an appearance before a judge following her release on a $5,000 bond. Portwood was jailed for 24-hours after being charged with two felony domestic battery counts, a felony count of neglect of a dependent and one misdemeanor of domestic violence and battery.
During the course of shooting 'Teen Mom,' MTV cameras captured Portwood hitting Gary Shirley, her ex-fiancee and father of her child. Currently, Portwood is barred from seeing Shirley, but according to E! Online, Shirley is fighting to have the protective order overturned.
According to the report, Portwood stated her occupation was being a "television personality." When asked to reveal her salary, her lawyer objected, but was overruled. The Herald Bulletin, a newspaper in Indiana, reported Portwood makes $140,000 with a six-month MTV contract. She makes $280,000 annually.
So, where did this $280,000 come from? Earlier this year it was reported the teen stars of the hit MTV show make around $60,000-65,000 for an 11-episode season. Our own Jean Bentley wondered where all that money was going since the young women always appeared to be broke. A fund for the child?
Ready? OK, good. According to HollywoodLife, the young mother was forced to reveal her salary during an appearance before a judge following her release on a $5,000 bond. Portwood was jailed for 24-hours after being charged with two felony domestic battery counts, a felony count of neglect of a dependent and one misdemeanor of domestic violence and battery.
During the course of shooting 'Teen Mom,' MTV cameras captured Portwood hitting Gary Shirley, her ex-fiancee and father of her child. Currently, Portwood is barred from seeing Shirley, but according to E! Online, Shirley is fighting to have the protective order overturned.
According to the report, Portwood stated her occupation was being a "television personality." When asked to reveal her salary, her lawyer objected, but was overruled. The Herald Bulletin, a newspaper in Indiana, reported Portwood makes $140,000 with a six-month MTV contract. She makes $280,000 annually.
So, where did this $280,000 come from? Earlier this year it was reported the teen stars of the hit MTV show make around $60,000-65,000 for an 11-episode season. Our own Jean Bentley wondered where all that money was going since the young women always appeared to be broke. A fund for the child?
1. Regarding the first article, Amber and Gary have been greatly influenced by the media. Amber is being charged with three separate felonies while Gary has been out having sex with many different women. Do you think that shows like Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant, when mixed with the media, can give a skewed view of what it means to be a teen parent?
2. Regarding the second article, Amber had to report that she made $140,000 for a six-month MTV contract ($280,000 annually) and referred to her occupation as a television personality. MTV intended that the purpose of these shows was to show teens what it would be like if they were to get pregnant, but does the fact that they get paid handsomely cloud their abilities to be a good parent?
3. After reading these two articles, do you agree or disagree that shows like Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant should be taken off the air?
-Lauren B.
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Pregnancy Pact
I decided to do my blog on the movie "The Pregnancy Pact". The film is based on the events that occurred in Gloucester, Massachusetts where a group of high school girls allegedly made a pact to all get pregnant at the same time.
The movies centers around four friends who all decide to get pregnant at the same time(Sarah Dougan, Karissa, Iris, and Rose) and Sidney Bloom an alumni of Gloucester High who is an Internet blog reporter
In the opening act Karissa is seen in the nurses office asking for a pregnancy test. She seems to be rather eager and happy to take the pregnancy test, even laughing when the nurse brings out the test. Karissa takes the test and is distraught that she ISN'T pregnant. After finding out this news Karissa fids a boy from the baseball team to have sex with her. In a later scene it is discovered that she is pregnant and is quite joyful about her current situation
Sidney Bloom, and alumni of Gloucester High is writing her next story for her video blog that discusses teen pregnancy. After reading an article that her old schools pregnancy rate has increased from ten girls to eighteen girls she decides to go back home and investigate what's going on. She returns to the school to talk to the school nurse. The nurse tells her that she has distributed over 150 pregnancy tests in the past two months. Sidney is startled by this alarming news and decides to interview the local high school students. She comes across Sarah and all her friends. Out of the four girls Sarah is the only one who is not pregnant. The girls are all eager to interview with Sidney and think that having a baby and raising them all together will be the happiest times of their lives. Sidney tries to understand why the girls would even consider having a baby at such a young age and asks the girls if they knew about contraceptives.
When Sidney find out that the girls didn't know anything about contraceptives she goes to the principal to see if they can try to get the school to provide contraceptives. The principal however is not at all interested in doing so and rushes Sidney off unwilling to talk to her any further. Sidney decides to go to a parent board meeting where Sarah's mom is the president of the meeting. Sidney tries to propose offering contraceptives and a sex education class so teenagers can know all the information about sex. But once again she gets shut down. The parent board would rather raise 13,000 to open up another slot for the day care center that the school provides than talk about sex education.
A few weeks later Sarah becomes pregnant, fulfilling the promise she made to get pregnant. Time magazine hears about the news that girls are becoming pregnant at a rapid rate and speculates that the girls all made a pact to become pregnant. Jesse, Sarah's boyfriend asks Sarah if this is true. Sarah denies this and makes Jesse feel guilty that he would even ask a question like that. All seems to be going well until Jesse overhears Sarah and Sidney talking about the pregnancy and that the pregnancy pact is indeed true. Jesse is furious and tells Sarah that he wants nothing to do with her any further. Sarah begs Jesse to forgive her but to no avail. Sarah realizes that she will have to raise the baby on her own and comes to the conclusion that the pregnancy pact wasn't such a great idea
1. Why would girls so young want to have a baby to begin with?
2. Why do some girls thing that becoming pregnant isn't a "big deal"?
3. The girls town is a small catholic conservative town and many of the parents never discuss sex with their children. The school would rather raise 13,000 dollars for an extra slot in the day care center than get a sex education program for the school. Do you feel that this is kind of ironic? That the school allowing a day care center is letting the students know that it is ok for them to have a child, yet they promote an abstinence only program and refuse to have a sex education program.
-Chris M.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
15 and Pregnant
In 1998, Lifetime aired the movie starring Kirsten Dunst. She playes soon-to-be fifteen-year-old Tina. Tina's parents had recently separated due to her father's infidelity when Tina decided to have sex with her sixteen-year-old boyfriend. Ray, for the first time. They do not use protection because Tina feels that it is a sin to have sex and having a condom means that she was planning on stinning. The next time they are together, Ray wants to "take a break" due to football season. When she asks what about them being together forever, he says July to October was long enough for him.
In a later scene, Tina and her mom are driving to school when the radio station begins talking about teenagers having sex and becoming pregnant. Her mom then turns to Tina and asks her if she knew any girls who were having sex. (The watcher is lead to believe this is their first conversation about sex.) Tina nods her head yes gets out of the car.
Tina's fifteenth birthday arrives shortly after and Tina learns of her impending motherhood. Tina's parents have mixed reactions to the news. Her mother is a devout Catholic. She is angered but decides to "do the right thing" and support her daughter. Tina's father appears more accepting of the situation and is less upset by the news. Tina's younger brother and sister only think about what people will think about them; they show no concern for their sister.
Ray, the father, finally re-enters the picture Christmas day. Her mom sends him away without allowing Tina to speak to him.
At the early stages of her pregnancy, Tina spends more time with her friend Lori who had a baby at seventeen. She sees how difficult Lori's life is raising a child on her own. Because Tina has not had a chance to speak with Ray, she goes to his house to talk to him. He tells her that he'll help with the baby but they aren't going to get married. He reasons that he's not doing much with his life so he may as well have a kid, and it's good they're having them young so they won't be too old at the play ground. "The three of them can grow up together."
Tina experiences problems at school when the school wants to put Tina in a separate program for teen mothers. Her father argues with the principal that maybe they should teach students how to parent instead of the biology involved with getting pregnant.
As the pregnancy progresses Tina holds unrealistic expectations of what her future will be like. She learns she is having a boy. Tina brags to Lori about everything in her life. She says Ray wants to marry her and doesn't listen when Lori said her child's father said the same thing. In the next scene, we see Ray driving with another girl. At Tina's parenting class that night, Tina learns her pregnant friend's boyfriend broke up with her. They have a young mother speak about how her life is: no boyfriend, one friend, no sleep, no money, and a minimum wage job.
Ray claims to be working late and misses the parenting classes. Tina and Ray begin to fight about his lack of involvement. Ray accuses Tina of having sex with people before him because that is what everyone says about her. They break up soon after. However Tina holds hope that Ray will do right, especially when he tells her about what his mom bought for her shower. Tina is officially done with Ray when she sees him with his new girlfriend at the mall.
The day of Tina's shower arrives and no one shows, including Ray and his family. Afterwards Tina admits she is happy about the baby because she wanted something that was all hers. She wanted to feel love becuase she never felt love around her. She had sex with Ray in order to keep him. Tina's parents also have revelations and decide that they want to be together.
The birth of Tina's baby finally arrives, along with the previously absent Ray. He brings his new girlfriend and mother to the hospital. Tina's father does not allow him to enter the room and sends him to the waiting room. Tina delivers a healthy baby boy. The movie ends with Tina's entire family being reunited. She begins a narration about the uncertainty of her life and says how hard parenthood will be because she is still a kid.
1. Tina's mother did not talk to her about sex until she had already done it. Do you think religion play too big of a role in people's decisions to talk to their children about sex? How should religious parents discuss sex and religion with their children?
2. At school, Tina did not learn about the realities of being a young parent until she was already pregnant. Do you think schools should teach students about the realities of parenthood or leave the subject of parenthood to the parents?
3. Even though Tina's father was present in the household for fourteen years of her life, she dwelled on the absence of her father. She admits that was what lead her to have sex with Ray, in order to have love. What are your opinions on the prescence of fathers in the home? Does it really make such a strong impact on a child's life that they constantly seek love?
4. Tina had a friend who was a teenage mother. However she still had unprotected sex with Ray with no real thought about the consequences. Do you feel that friends of teen mothers are more likely to consistently use contreception? Or do they think that they still believe it won't happen to them?
5. After Tina had sex she only worried about being pregnant. She gave no thought about STDs that Ray could have passed to her. Do you feel that young people are only concerned with pregnancy? Does the risk of STDs take a backseat to pregnacy?
Sloane H.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Maci, Bentley, and Who??
The following article was published in an article of Teen Vogue.
Teen Mom Maci Bookout: In Her Own Words
May 24, 2010
At the start of 2008, I was just a typical sixteen-year-old. I played softball and volleyball for my high school, went to football games with friends on the weekends, and had a boyfriend, Ryan, whom I had been dating for five months.
When Ryan and I met the summer after my sophomore year, I was a virgin. A lot of my friends had made the decision to have sex, but their relationships didn't last. I didn't want to get hurt, but I fell in love with Ryan and decided that I could trust him. Four months into the relationship, we slept together. I hate to say it, but we didn't use protection.
One morning, about a month after we started having sex, I woke up and felt different. I can't even explain it--I just knew that I was pregnant. After school I took a pregnancy test with Ryan. When it came up positive, we were in shock but agreed we were going to have to deal with it and be the best parents possible. We never considered abortion or adoption; those choices weren't right for us.
When I was about eight weeks along, I told my parents. They had always been supportive and trusted me to make the right decisions, so the news upset them. They were worried that I didn't understand how hard it was going to be. I explained that I was going to finish high school and go to college. My plan was to start saving money so I would be able to support myself. I also let my friends know that things were going to change--if I was going to be a good mom, my life couldn't be like theirs anymore.
Once everyone knew, my world became a whirlwind. In June I found out I was having a baby boy. I was so excited. Ryan and I even got engaged. In August, when I was six months pregnant, my mom saw an ad on Craigslist about an MTV show that would become 16 and Pregnant. I replied to the posting--I looked at it as an opportunity to show other girls what it was like to be in this situation. A few weeks later, MTV contacted me to make an audition tape, and in September they came to my hometown, Chattanooga, to start filming. Camera crews came every two weeks for three or four days at a time. They filmed my graduation from accelerated high school in early October and the birth of my son, Bentley, later that month. My episode of 16 and Pregnant aired in June 2009. I think MTV did a really good job of showing my experience. Last summer MTV asked me to be a part of their new spin-off series, Teen Mom.
When Teen Mom aired last December, I was upset with myself because I saw how I let Ryan walk all over me. After seeing everything go down on TV, I knew I had to end things with him. It was hard, but it was the best decision. It's been six months since we broke up, and we're no longer friends. He still babysits Bentley every Wednesday night when I have class and sees him every other weekend. I would love for us to be together for our son, but I know that's not going to happen. Bentley should see me in a healthy relationship, even if it isn't with his father.
Now Bentley and I live with my parents, who help me with childcare. I'm studying journalism at Chattanooga State Community College. I hope to finish in May 2011 and pursue a career as a writer. I'm actually working on a book about my life. I'm also filming the second season of Teen Mom. I've gotten used to the cameras, and Bentley loves the attention. He's more of a star than I'll ever be.
I've been going to local high schools to speak to students too. I want them to know that if they've made up their minds to abstain from sex, they shouldn't feel pressured to change their decision. Telling my story publicly can be very emotional, since I'm so close in age to the girls.
Bentley is nineteen months old now. I know it would have been a lot easier if I'd had him when I was older, but I can't change the past. I just want him to be happy--and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen. --AS TOLD TO ALLISON DAVIS
Read More http://www.teenvogue.com/connect/blogs/soundoff/2010/05/teen-mom-maci-bookout.html#ixzz1D0ylqHuF
Although most of us already knew the majority of information in this article, it brings me to be curious about things I hadn’t already considered. The first thing that caught my eye in this article is that it was featured in “Teen Vogue: You’re source for teen celebrities, fashion, style, hair, and makeup trends.
Although I never really bought into the fact that Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant was glorifying teen pregnancy, I think it is a little ridiculous that Maci is featured in a magazine meant to show young women what is “in style.” I feel as though the article would be better suited for a parenting, or teen health magazine. Having said that, here is my first question: Why do you think that MTV decided Maci should be featured in this magazine? Why do you think this magazine chose to feature Maci? What kind of message do you think young women would get out of reading this article in this particular magazine? Do you see this as a problem?
The next thing I noticed was that much like each 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom show, the focus was primarily on Maci. Ryan was mentioned, but his perspective was not given at all. My next set of questions deal not only with this article, but also on the show as well. Why did MTV feel the show would be best marketed to young women specifically as opposed to young men as well? Do you think young men learn just as much from the show and its media as young women do? If the article was written from Ryan’s perspective, how do you think it would be different?
In the article and throughout her TV appearances, Maci makes it clear that she believes it is important to have a complete family for Bentley. She stays with Ryan longer that most would have and states that she wanted Bentley to have a father. Which is worse: not having a parent in your life, or having that parent be a negative influence? Would it be equally positive for Bentley to see Maci as strong, independent woman, or does he need to see her in a positive relationship? How has society and media shaped Maci’s perception that having a complete family is so important?
What questions do YOU have about this article?
(Cheyane Frizell)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Quinn (on regrets): Thinking "trust me" was a sensible birth control option.
We all know GLEE for its countless musical numbers and quirky characters, but it actually brings some serious social issues to light. In case you aren’t a GLEEK, here’s what you missed…. In the first season of the show head Cheerio and president of the celibacy club, Quinn Fabray, finds her whole life crashing down around her when she discovers she is pregnant at 16 years old.
Quinn is at the top of the popularity food chain and quite the stereotypical “queen bee” being the captain of the cheerleading squad and dating the quarterback at William McKinley High School. When news of her pregnancy gets out, however, she is kicked off the squad and treated as a social outcast with slushies in the face to prove it. The only support group she has is with her fellow members of the GLEE club, but the drop all the way to the bottom of the social ladder is a tragedy in Quinn’s mind and we see her struggle with this throughout her pregnancy.
Quinn’s boyfriend, Finn, is told that he is the father of the baby (even though they never had sex, Quinn convinces him that the conception occurred after a precarious hot tub incident) and Quinn pressures him into getting a job so they can afford the medical expenses. The stresses of a reality they are not yet ready to face take a toll on their relationship and that’s when Shue’s (the GLEE coach) mentally deranged wife offers to adopt Quinn’s baby and pay for the expenses. (BACKSTORY: Terri Schuester suffered from a hysterical pregnancy and once she learned she wasn’t pregnant she continued to pretend she was out of fear of losing her husband. When she realized Quinn was pregnant she did the math and decided to adopt Quinn’s baby and pretend it was hers all along… drama, drama, drama!).
Quinn comes from a Christian, conservative family and when they found out she was pregnant her father kicked her out. Finn and his mother take Quinn in, but after he finds out that his best friend is really the father of the baby Quinn is out again and moves in with Puck (the baby daddy). She reconsiders the adoption and gives Puck a chance to prove he can handle being a father, but she is let down by his immature behavior. Quinn ends up moving again, this time to be with her new friend, Mercedes, a fellow GLEE mate. The big day of Regionals comes for GLEE and Quinn’s mother shows up and invites Quinn to move back in, informing her she left her father after learning of his “extracurricular activities.” Quinn went into labor the same day and ended up giving her baby up to the coach of the rival team, Vocal Adrenaline. And that’s what you missed!
Things to Ponder:
1. After reading about the lack of effectiveness in abstinence only education and seeing the irony in Quinn’s involvement in the celibacy club, do you feel that abstinence only education is worth trying at all? Finn was also a member of the celibacy club (along with most of the cheerleading squad and football team… many of which we know for sure are not practicing abstinence) but somehow he thought it was possible that he impregnated Quinn despite the fact that they never had sex. How much sex education do you think they have had from parents or school?
2. Looking at both Quinn’s family situation and Kailyn’s from 16 and Pregnant, how important do you think a supportive family situation is?
3. Had Terri Schuester, despite her craziness, not stepped in do you think Quinn would have gotten any prenatal care at all?
4. Quinn did realize her incapacity to raise a child at this point in her life, but in 16 and pregnant we saw Kailyn say she could never consider adoption. Many young women have this same viewpoint. Do you think this is a selfish decision? Do they feel this way because they think the guilt would be too much to handle? Is it different for teen parents who were adopted themselves; do they want to give their child the biological parents they missed out on?
-Alyssa K.
-Alyssa K.
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