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MTV shows the reality of teen pregnancy with '16 and Pregnant'
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Next Thursday, June 11, at 10pm, MTV will air the first episode of their documentary series '16 and Pregnant.' The show will follow six teens through their daily lives of school, family, and relationships - all while pregnant.
The two minute trailer below is heartbreaking. It introduces you to the six teenage girls in the series and the huge challenges they are facing. Some of the clips include one teen fighting with her very unhappy mother, another shows the father of the baby telling his girlfriend that if there was no baby they would not be together, and another shows one teen making the choice to put her child up for adoption. My stomach was in knots watching it and I ached for the kids in this show.
I'm impressed with MTV and admire their efforts to curb teen pregnancy and promote safe sex (although it might be better received if they stopped airing 'The Real World,' which portrays young adults drinking and having crazy relationships with one another). I'm a little confused, however, by this description of the show: "The show focuses on the tremendous inner strength and courage each of these girls display as they sacrifice their teenage years in order to become responsible for another human life. They have the dedication and determination to do whatever it takes to make their lives work, and to provide for their babies. The show is a celebration of their perseverance." A celebration of their perseverance? Yes, it's great that these teens are taking responsibility for their actions and acknowledging that sacrifices will be made, but do we have call it a celebration? It seems to glamorize it a bit too much for me, which I think the show needs to stay away from.
Will this be enough to wake up teens in this country to the realities of teen parenting? I'd like to think it would be, but I know it won't. At the very least, I hope it encourages teens to practice safe sex and use birth control consistently.
Watch the trailer here and share your thoughts.
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