Programmes like 16 and pregnant "glamourising" teen pregnancy?

[AppleBlossom]

I saw this on another forum.

Do you think shows like 16 and pregnant/teen mom glamourise teen pregnancy and make it look "fun?"

 

[Linzi]

Ive never been a teenage parent, but I don't think the programmes show exactly how hard being a parent is.

But I dont think they glamourise it either

xxx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I always wanted to be a young parent, and I was. I dont know if programmes had much to do with it :/

 

[aragornlover8]

I don't think 16 and Pregnant really glamorizes it, as it shows a wide variety of teen moms - some come from money, some don't, some have supportive OHs, other's don't. I would say, if there is any program that glamorizes teen pregnancy, it's Secret Life of the American Teenager. Ironically, I'm pretty sure the show was made to dissuade teenagers from having sex too young and without protection. But it's just plain terrible...

...

...

... And I'm totally going to watch it tonight.

 

[AppleBlossom]

Just for the record, I don't think it glamourises it either

 

[Lightworker]

The few glimpses I've caught of this show have not looked "fun" at all. I don't know if they glamourize it as such, but I feel they are being somewhat exploited for entertainment purposes. Its the same with shows like Jeremy Kyle, Misbehaving Mums, etc, people who truly need help and are vulnerable are being used by the media. So not really a fan. In the past I used to watch these to feel better about my life which is an awful thing to do, but it illustrates the mindset of some viewers iykwim?

 

[angelandbump]

I don't think the show glamorises it but i do think MTV promotes it!

Everytime i go on the MTV channel, its 16 and pregnant or teen mom ect ect. It even has a tab that runs along the bottom of the screen saying that if your pregnant or a teen mum or dad, you could be on TV. To me, for attention seeking teens (not all teens may i add) they may fall pregnant just to be on TV or just to be like some of the mums off teen mom.

x

 

[aragornlover8]

The few glimpses I've caught of this show have not looked "fun" at all. I don't know if they glamourize it as such, but I don't I feel they are being somewhat exploited for entertainment purposes. Its the same with shows like Jeremy Kyle, Misbehaving Mums, etc, people who truly need help and are vulnerable are being used by the media. So not really a fan. In the past I used to watch these to feel better about my life which is an awful thing to do, but it illustrates the mindset of some viewers iykwim?

I can see your point here. I would say that 16 and Pregnant is the lesser of evils on MTV, though. At least those girls get a bit of money and just show their stories shortly before and after giving birth. Teen Mom, which picks four of the moms featured on 16 and Pregnant (usually the most "watch-worthy" of the bunch, meaning the most dramatic and volatile in most cases) to showcase nearly an entire year afterwards. Teen Mom seems a lot more doctored and caters more to the reality tv crowd, I think. And some of the moms regret doing it later, as it really aired a lot of their dirty laundry when they were already going through the tough time of being a new and young parent.

 

[charlotte-xo]

No if anything i think it shows truthully how hard it is to be a parent. Also trying to get a college degree, finish school, maintain friendships and relationships ect all whilst having a child to care for. I love to watch 16 and pregnant, teen mom 1 and 2 because i can relate to it and theres no other tv series around which enable me to do that iykwim.

 

[Nibblenic]

Ive not seen anything glamerous on that show. Infact it seems to be one big struggle and sets of arugments with lots of tear and tantrums.

I think in ever episode they discuss contraception and more oftern than not how they were not using it.

 

[DanielleM]

I don't think that it glamorises teen pregnancy/parenthood, I think it actually shows real life struggles, of all the episodes I have watched, not one young mum said it was easy and they have a brilliant life, infact it seems more the opposite! I can relate to these people too as I had my first son at 18 and was a single teen mum. I do however feel that they are using vulnerable people, but I am unsure of what they do to help the young mums after the show, or if they do help them at all?

 

[Laura2919]

I think its a bit of both. There are times when I watch Teen Mom and they make it look like its easy, at the moment there is a girl on there who is working 2 jobs, going to college and looking after her son. She just says 'its hard but I have to' but its more than hard. I do it. I work 3 jobs now (two are done at home) and I look after the girls. So yes sometimes it seems like its easy but then on the other hand there is girl who has had her son taken away by her mum and another girl who is dealing with her daughter who has an illness and happens to be a twin.

Sometimes it can glamourize being a teen parent but they do also show the struggles.

 

[kellyb]

I'm not sure that these shows glamorize teen pregnancy, BUT in an indirect way, they are promoting it. Unfortunately, we seem to live in a society that is SO caught up in celebrity. Twenty years ago, celebrities were people with talent, who could act or sing or dance, and were often good role models. Today, however, the opposite seems to be true--you get popular and famous by being a terrible human being (The Real World, Jersey Shore, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and the list goes on and on). So while these "reality" teen pregnancy shows don't necessarily tell kids that raising a kid young is fun, they ARE telling these kids that they can become celebs if they do so. Or at least many kids believe they can. To me, it's a scary, scary thing.

 

[lulu61388]

the show isn't what glamorizes it, it is how the media treats these girls. they are on covers of magazines, on news shows and constantly in the public eye.

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

i think it just turns the whole idea of having children young into a bit of a circus tbh! like it must be a bad/shocking thing to do if it makes good tv!... so if anything i feel it degrades teen mums to an extent, i have barely watched to be honest tho, so i might be miles off BUT-i do also feel like its nice to finally have a show where not all the teen mums are shown to be drinking, smoking, messy, rubbish mums... because thats what you get alot of(on tv!) and its so bloody irritating!... its nice to show how how every teen mum is different just like every "older mum" is different !.. but like i said i feel its also a bit of a media circus ! so quite a contradiction but i suppose its how each viewer sees it !? x

 

[lesleyann]

As a teen mum, shows like this never made me want to be a teen mum, all i new however was that i always wanted to be a mummy and i did not want to be "old and past it"(from my very young teen head those words where lol) when i had my children.. However in saying that my mum had me at 18 and my brother at 21.. I had my son at 17 and will be 19 or 20 when my daughter is born

 

[we can't wait]

I agree with LuLu-- The media glamorizes teen pregnancy, not the shows.

For me, watching all the pregnancy shows online had me terrified about giving birth & having a newborn. It made the whole labor experience look like total hell. In reality, my labor went really smoothly... and my newborn doesn't wake up every half and hour like they do on the show. The show makes everything look so depressing-- but I find my life as a young mommy to be really rewarding and happy. So, no, I definitely don't think it glamorizes the idea of having a baby young. Some girls will obviously think that it looks 'cool'... they just are apparently not mature enough to get the moral message from the program.

 

[lily123]

I don't think it glamourises it.
Honestly every time i see that god awful programme i think "Jesus, no WONDER teen mothers get such a bad name"
x

 

[hb1]

Maybe fair to say it normalises it - then there's the discussion of whether we, as a society, feel it should be the norm.....