16 & Pregnant- Teen Mom- & the Exploitation of the American Teenager

16 & Pregnant: The College Edition

Don't watch 16 & Pregnant? I know I didn't. It just wasn't my thing, my demographic ... I'm not even expecting! That said, if you're anything like me (teaching, parenting or working with college-bound students) my plea herein is for a reconsideration of this show.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

Teens Becoming Pregnant to Get on 'Teen Mom'?

Now that 'Teen Mom' cast members like Amber Portwood are in their twenties, MTV is looking for a new crop of teenage girls to keep its monster hits 'Teen Mom' and '16 and Pregnant' alive, and [surprise!] industry insiders tell me young ladies are so eager to be on reality TV that they are actually getting pregnant just to score an audition. OK, not much of a surprise. Simply take a spin around the various Internet forums filled with young girls inquiring about what's required to score a role

www.popeater.com...


I may get a lot of grief for this, we may have "created a monster" here, but is anyone else offended by this?

These kids, and yes, they are just kids in most cases, are being exploited by rich MTV executives, with their parents' consent, all for the country's entertainment.
All while we sit in judgment of them, mostly ripping on them during the hour a week we get to watch them in their misery, while we see them make terrible choices, led by their (usually single) parents or grandparents into hopeless situations that end invariably badly.

Does anyone honestly believe that the compensation that they receive is really enough to pay for anything really
meaningful and lasting?

And are they old enough to actually comprehend how to make any monies they get last?

This is the same network that promotes Jersey Shore and the promiscuity and vapish behavior of the idiots on that show, which is the antithesis of any kind of birth control message (unless one wants to prevent having idiotic children like those people).

The article from Huffington extolls the virtues of a girl who did initially go to NYC to college, however, she has since returned home and is going to community college... which is probably all she could realistically afford in this economy, even with what she may have received from MTV for splashing her private horror all over the country.

We may say "Oh they are spoiled brats, they deserve it... look at them."
Well, I say, who could really say what one could do in any situation when one is very young, pregnant, and has no money, no good parental guidance, and needs help... and MTV who has been rammed down everyone's throat, shows up with bags of money...
And good old "Dr. Drew" is there... right???

What a crock.

Thoughts?

Well we'll see if anyone actually gets pregnant just to be on the show and really makes it. Some of the former cast members from the show wouldn't surprise me if that was their motive all along.

reply to post by filosophia


I have seen some of the shows and they seem so sad and desperate.
The girls are always disillusioned and absolutely unprepared.

My niece got pregnant at 16. MTV contacted her about this show. In the end, the family structure around her was deemed not interesting enough(read, not chaotic enough) to make a show around it.

This show, and any like it, are exploitation and propaganda, nothing more.

My girlfriend was pregnant last year and we watched every episode (not my idea). Yes I agree its kinda sad, but it does get ratings lol.

The thing that I don't get is, these girls constantly are broke, when you know they are raking in the millions from having one of the number one shows on MTV.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


That is a blessing to your family.
Would you want your family ridiculed around the world?
I'll bet the money isn't really that much...

reply to post by mayabong


MTV is raking in millions.
Those girls aren't making crap.
They are probably paid a flat fee, no residuals.

Originally posted by thegoodearth
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

That is a blessing to your family.
Would you want your family ridiculed around the world?
I'll bet the money isn't really that much...

I was absolutely against it from the start, but my niece, being 16, thought it was oh so cool.

The thing that struck me though is that they turn away those who have healthy family lives and good support. They want to glamorize the chaos and drama. God forbid they show a healthy living situation.

And you're absolutely right-the money is NOTHING.

I have'nt seen the program in question as im in the UK but it sounds like exploitation pure and simple. It angers me that kids would actually think it was a good idea to get pregnant at 16 just to get on TV?

Im 29 and my wife and I delayed having children until we got married and got a mortgage. Our son is 1 next week. To think we have worked hard to provide for the little guy and someone can be so flippant with a life. (Not only the kids wanting to be on TV but the MTV executives who obviously go out looking for youngsters to exploit.)

Britain has the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe and I believe a major contributing factor is the breakdown of the family unit. Also our crazy benefit system that rewards young single mums with a house and spending money all on the taxpayer. Basically they need'nt work and I think many see this as an easy option.

I imagine its similar with the young girls on teen moms, all they will see is a nice cheque and their name in lights? A false hope they will become a celebrity. As for MTV putting out such a show its just plain wrong. It sort of encompasses everything that is wrong with soceity, both sides of the pond.

Who cares how much they make? It's wrong, young girls will soon find it a normal thing to go and get pregnant at such a young age, its not right, they will never get a chance to live theyre lives, get an education, or build up a career. Imagine by the time this girl is 20 some thing, her kids go to school and all, what will she do? What can she do? She will probably struggle hard just to keep a roof over her and her childs head.

It's as if MTV is promoting this life style. We need to secure our young girls futures, how can she have a baby when she is a baby herself?

Originally posted by Mentalistbee
Who cares how much they make? It's wrong, young girls will soon find it a normal thing to go and get pregnant at such a young age, its not right, they will never get a chance to live theyre lives, get an education, or build up a career. Imagine by the time this girl is 20 some thing, her kids go to school and all, what will she do? What can she do? She will probably struggle hard just to keep a roof over her and her childs head.

It's as if MTV is promoting this life style. We need to secure our young girls futures, how can she have a baby when she is a baby herself?

It already is seem as the norm.

Teen pregnancy is a major coup that has been pulled off on the american people. It is a perpetual cycle of poverty and neglect, which is good for the 'haves'.

These shows are terrible and show the willingness of adults to exploit teenagers for financial gain.

It's like child prostitution but in a legal manner.

I will say though that before these shows came along, teenage girls were still getting pregnant. It's not uncommon for the parents or even grandparents to raise the kids, since the teens are more interested in partying and trying to live a "normal" life. Pathetic.

reply to post by The Sword


Yes, teens were and are getting pregnant... and will still get pregnant.
However, now with the advent of reality TV, and the desperation of people (parents too)
who mistakenly think they will "rake in dollars", and want to be "insta-celebs"...
this kind of exploitation is revolting...
and all with children- the teen and the infant born.

The thing is that in some of the girls, it shows them announcing to everyone that their pregnant and just starting to be pregnant. Which leads one to wonder do some of these girls contact MTV and then get pregnant? This type of show is one of those "don't send us tapes we wont watch em" and yet that is exactly what they depend on. (Scarred)

You know I oft see teenage pregnancy blamed on society. But perhaps we can compare in the past.

Girls got pregnant much younger in the past. It's more recent that the child bearing age was brought along with adulthood over 18 years.

And perhaps it is natural for these girls to want children, and may have nothing to do with external influences. Lets suggest perhaps teenage girls want to have children because it's what their bodies are wanting them to do.


I do however agree the show is exploitation.

reply to post by Miraj



It is entitled 16 and pregnant for a reason... to show these young, unprepared girls
who are without a clue, having children...
I don't think it is an evolutionary thing that these girls are having babies.
I think it is an irresponsible, reckless, thing.

Originally posted by Miraj
You know I oft see teenage pregnancy blamed on society. But perhaps we can compare in the past.

Girls got pregnant much younger in the past. It's more recent that the child bearing age was brought along with adulthood over 18 years.

And perhaps it is natural for these girls to want children, and may have nothing to do with external influences. Lets suggest perhaps teenage girls want to have children because it's what their bodies are wanting them to do.


I do however agree the show is exploitation.

First, those girls that were getting pregnant younger throughout history were also, more often than not, getting married and building a family structure at those same young ages, which is where this becomes an issue in modern times. It is the destruction of the family structure, and like I said earlier, is a great way to perpetuate poverty in a modern society.

Second, consider the indoctrination in all young girls from the very earliest age. Nearly every toy for a young girl is geared toward the maternal. You cannot say that this does not have an influence.

Third, It COULD simply be their bodies wanting it, but then again, an addict's bodies thinks it needs crack. Doesnt make it a good choice to use it.

A quick word about accusing MTV of exploitation. I don't necessarily disagree with such an indictment, but remember that if it wasn't a profitable endeavour, the fat cats over at MTV wouldn't make the show. If nobody watched it, and nobody bought their advertisers' products, it wouldn't exist.

The blame for the exploitation of these girls really falls on us as a society. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's the truth. We have allowed ourselves to become a materialistic, fame-crazed orgy of narcisissm. What do you really expect from such a society? We should be focused on changing ourselves, not a few slimeballs in some board room somewhere.

As much as I HATE to admit it I have watched more than one episode, and I don't know what each girl on 16 and pregnant makes. Amber who has been all over the rag mags, makes 280,000 a year at 20 yrs old. Now, I don't know of any 16-20 yrs, especially that is a single mother, or even married for that matter that makes that amount of money.

As for young girls trying to get pregnant to be on MTV, I believe it. Much of our youth desires to be a celebrity and getting knocked up combines something they are already doing with a goal they are hoping to attain. It also doesn't help that they hear how much money these teen mom's are making which is completely out of the ordinary for a teen mom situation. If they want to keep the show I wish they would let it an actual documentary, and not pay (horrible as that sounds) the girls. That way they could show them not having money for baby needs, not having a descent job, not living on their own, and going to the public aid office for financial support and insurance for their little bundle of joy.