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Teen Pregnancy and Reality Television

            Teen pregnancy is a big topic discussed today. It is seen and heard about everywhere: books, movies, magazines, and more commonly television shows. the question that is asked by many is, "Is it showing the real effects of teen pregnancy, or is being glamorized?" Popular television shows and movies such as Teen Mom and Juno do not glorify or promote teen pregnancy as some may argue that they do. There was a time in the past where teen pregnancy was a more common thing, getting pregnant at a younger age was acceptable. As time has gone on the rates and statistics drastically change throughout the years. Today teen pregnancy can be seen as normal by some or can also be seen as a terrible thing. In the past teen pregnancy was not always shown on television or in movies or as frequently talked about. Today it is plastered everywhere, with celebrities and normal everyday girls. Two popular shows today are Teen Mom 1, 2 and 3 and 16 & Pregnant by MTV. These shows display the real lives of teenage girls who are pregnant. It shows girls who choose different options and how they live their life. .
             It is argued that these shows can glamorize teen pregnancy and actually make young girls want to get pregnant; some say it makes it look like an easy way to fame. The article Teen Pregnancy Not All Happy Smiles by Brian Housman, mentions along with television shows a popular movie Juno, they mention that why this does show some struggles of teen pregnancy and also ends in such a happy ending. Time magazine brought up the phrase "The Juno Effect" where young girls were saying how fun it would be to have a baby. Not long after that a "Pregnancy Pact" was also formed and reported. A group of girls all made a pact to get pregnant together, some were even sad when they found out they had not become pregnant. Another article that supports the same idea is "Reality Television Shows Glamorize Teen Pregnancy" by Susie Kroll.


Essays Related to Teen Pregnancy and Reality Television

1. Teenagers and Pregnancy: A Social Issue

Overall teen pregnancy rates have dropped 19 percent since 1991. ... Teen pregnancy rates have increased 23% from 1972 to 1990. ... Music Television (MTV) has several shows which portray teen pregnancy as a positive attribute of life: Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant. Teen Mom is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on December 8, 2009. ... Likewise, 16 and Pregnant is also a MTV reality television series produced by Morgan J. ...

  • Word Count: 2936
  • Approx Pages: 12

2. Teen Pregnancy

Teen Pregnancy Teen pregnancy has been around for generations; however, not until the twentieth century has teen pregnancy become a major issue. ... (Bell) With teen pregnancy on such a rise, there are many issues that can be discussed: the many risks of teen pregnancy, society's approval of teen pregnancy, the responsibilities of teen parents, and ways to handle or prevent teen pregnancy. ... Some girls plan their pregnancies with high hopes, but reality soon sets in. ... One way to prevent teen pregnancy is abortions. ... Children learn about sex through radio and televisi...

  • Word Count: 1400
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Teenage Pregnancy

One of my favorite things to watch on television is talk show paternity test results. ... "The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the western world, despite the fact that our teens are not more sexually active than Swedish teen, or Canadian teens, or British teens. ... Because we don't educate about birth control...we don't discuss it at home...Other countries do, and they are rewarded with low rates of teen pregnancy and teen abortions (Strasburger par. 1)." ... It is difficult for a teen girl to think about the reality of being pregnant while she is in the act....

  • Word Count: 1223
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Television and sexual messages

With teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases on the rise, parents are constantly looking for the causes of this terrible phenomenon. ... This theory focuses on the way viewers "come to cultivate or adopt attitudes and expectations about the real world that coincide with [television's] portrait of reality."" Through prolonged viewing, audiences begin to accept television's version of reality over their own. When sexual situations are repeatedly absorbed by teenagers' impressionable and immature minds, the T.V. reality in which no bad consequences are depicted become...

  • Word Count: 2162
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Ramifications of Teenage Pregnancy

At first, she thought it was some kind of joke until the reality came to her. ... Eight in ten of these teen pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent are to unmarried teens. Teen pregnancy costs the United States at least $7 billion annually" (Family First Aid). ... Teenage today look to movies, music, magazines, internet, and television to learn about life instead of listening to their parents. ... Some people argue that adolescence pregnancy is good for the baby and mother because teen mom is healthier and stronger than to those who are older. ...

  • Word Count: 2627
  • Approx Pages: 11
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Teenage Pregnancy Within The United States

Introduction and Problem of Teen Pregnancy II. Teen Pregnancy and Risk Factors III. Economics, Poverty, Social Issues and Teen Pregnancy I IV. Media and Teen Pregnancy V. ... • 32 percent of teens say they would consider an abortion; in reality, 50 percent of pregnancies to unmarried teens end in abortion. (8) Teen Pregnancy Outcomes More than half (56%) of the 905,000 teenage pregnancies in 1996 ended in births (2/3 of which were unplanned). (9) III. ...

  • Word Count: 3521
  • Approx Pages: 14
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Sex Education Reality Check

In the absence of proper sex education, young adults look to parents, school, television, and friends for information on sex. ... This universal knowledge ultimately reduces teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and a lack of knowledge amongst America's future. In the last decade or so, we've seen a steep decline in teen pregnancies due to the extended understanding of contraceptives, and proper use. ... By doing this, we can further reduce negative rates (teen pregnancy, STD/STI, abortion, etc.), and increase a national awareness. ... It's time to re...

  • Word Count: 988
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Current television is a slave to naturalistic convention.

Also teen soaps tackle the same kind of issues. ... For example adultery, divorce, death, rape and teen pregnancy. ... This brought about two issues of teen pregnancy and adoption. ... Over the past few years there has been a sudden increase in the number of reality television programmes shown on British tv. ... All of these reality television sh...

  • Word Count: 1731
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Kids Having Kids: The Consequences of Sex

America has the largest growing number of teen pregnancies in the world and it's just keeps getting worse. Teen pregnancy is a very common occurrence nowadays, which is very sad and definitely 100 percent preventable. ... Teen pregnancy is a traumatic and difficult issue a young person might experience. ... The United State spends approx $40 billion each year due to the costs of teen pregnancy. ... Several causes for teen pregnancy is the need for affection, acceptance, and unprotected sex. ...

  • Word Count: 854
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

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