What does the new NYC campaign to "reduce teen pregnancy" have to do with Governor Cuomo's push to allow abortion throughout all nine months for any reason?
A lot. Mayor Bloomberg's print campaign has the worthy goal of reducing teen pregnancy. But the attention-grabbing images and print ads now blanketing the city's subways seem more likely to merely prevent birth by encouraging more and more abortions.
And coming on the heels of Cuomo's State of the State announcement that he's proposing liberalizing NY State's already liberal abortion laws, an atmosphere of abortion as no big deal will continue.
None of Bloomberg's print ads mention what a young woman should do if she finds herself already pregnant. The babies in every picture appear difficult, crying and needy, with the costs of raising a child emphasized. An entirely negative picture of motherhood is portrayed to women in crisis pregnancies.
While the ads are correct in stating that taking on teen parenthood is daunting, expensive, unlikely to lead to marriage, and likely to interfere with finishing high school, they don't mention remaining abstinent until marriage. And they certainly don't mention adoption as the noble and heroic choice for a young pregnant girl who will be unable to care for her child herself. What an expensive missed opportunity!
According to Governor Cuomo, "New York has long served as a model for equality and fairness on several issues including women’s rights. The 10-Point Women’s Equality Act will break down barriers that perpetuate discrimination and inequality based on gender." How is fairness and equality for women promoted by encouraging them to take the life of their own child even later in their pregnancy, closer to birth? It certainly isn't more "fair" for the 50% of unborn babies who are female.
It's too bad the ads posted throughout bus shelters and subways don't encourage women with the "true love waits" teen abstinence message, something that would really reduce teen pregnancy, not just teen births. They could also refer already pregnant moms to Expectant Mother Care's twelve NYC centers, where they get a free ultrasound of their unborn baby and talk to someone about the possibility of allowing a loving family of their choosing to adopt their child.
What a shame NYC's Mayor and Governor are promoting teen sex and abortion, rather than abstinence and adoption.
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