Teen Motherhood Glorified?

By: Amy Perry

"Is teenage motherhood idolized on shows documenting it?" The answer is no. These shows are simply created to stop the increasingly popular trend of teen motherhood. For instance, Maury, a popular show known for its paternity test-geared episodes, occasionally does episodes focusing on young girls aged 12-17 who are desperate to engage in risky behavior and get pregnant. During each episode, a rambunctious and defiant girl comes out, and explains to Maury how desperate she is to get pregnant and have a baby, "somebody who will love me no matter what." Maury then ridicules the girl and brings out one of his boot-camp friends. He then takes the girls to a room full of babies that require much care. At the end of every episode, not one of the girls still wants to be a teen mom. Another show related to teen motherhood is Teen Mom, on MTV. This show documents four teenage mothers, all of whom live with their children, except for one who gave her daughter up for adoption. Nothing on this show seems glamorous at all. Hard times are all too prominent in these teenagers' lives, and only one of them is able to maintain a steady romantic relationship with her child's father (or for any man for that matter), the same girl who gave her child up for adoption. Nothing seems easy about these girls' lives, they have a new issue everyday. For anybody to say these shows glorify teen motherhood, would be an outright lie because nothing seems glamorous about these girls' lives in the least.


Rebuttal by: Bianca Rogers
"Teen Motherhood: Glorified," should be the new name for the show on MTV. What are these girls gaining recognition for, something that is looked down upon in our society? These girls are being glorified for having children at the age of sixteen ("Sixteen and Pregnant") and have been granted yet another television show chronicling their daily life events. Their lives are being seen as fantasy-like and like their lives are easy. Maci, a character on the show, is able to go to school, work, and own her own house, all while not being in a relationship. Does this even seem logical? How often do we come across a 16-year-old mother who is able to juggle all of those things? How often do we even come across a regular 16-year-old who is able to juggle school and work? Not too often. MTV does a great job of making these girls' lives seem simple and manageable when it is not an accurate depiction of what teenage motherhood is. Besides "Teen Mom," there is the Maury show, on which he sometimes looks at girls who want to have children. Though teenage motherhood is strongly discouraged on this show, it is still given too much attention. Young girls who watch these shows may try to emulate these poor examples of young women, and teenage motherhood is something that needs to be put to an end, not continued.