A few weeks ago, The Blue Banner ran an article in their Opinion section about insensitive ads aimed to combat teenage pregnancy. While the topic is very relevant and important to discuss, I took issue with several points made by the journalist who wrote it.
While I do not feel teenage pregnancy is something that should be celebrated, I also don’t think it’s right to vilify young women and turn them into a statistic simply because of one accident or mistake in their lives at such an impressionable age.
As someone who works very closely with young mothers and is the sister of someone who had a child at 17, I was highly offended by the statement, “Many of these hard-working women ultimately fail when taking on such an imposing task.”
I have seen countless teenage mothers go on to graduate high school and attend college, while still managing to raise their child properly.
It’s not fair to ignore the successes of most teen mothers in order to shame those who have to drop out, and who only do so to provide for their child, which is ultimately their choice.
However, the blatant lack of acknowledging any male responsibility in the article seemed most ridiculous to me. The journalist wrote, “The ads may be emotionally manipulative, but they outline the harsh truths that many young girls do not even think of when they become sexually active.”
I wasn’t aware only young girls should be concerned when they became sexually active. Last I checked, it took two people to create a child.
Teenage mothers are so much more than a statistic, and it’s time we started treating them with the respect they deserve.