Agreed
“If Planned Parenthood, the Family Research Council and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy really want to reduce unwanted teen pregnancies, they should study such factors as poverty, the older ages of male partners, the advantages having children afford poorer young women and the plunge in births among married teens and adults, among other realities. That would be easier if the stigmatizing concept of “teenage pregnancy” was not part of our health-policy deliberations.”
~ Males, LA Times.
I found this link on Bitch, Phd and thought, “Hey, look, sense!” Go, READ, I’ll wait here.
We’ll get back to riveting hair blogging tomorrow.
Posted by Melissa on July 21st, 2008 under Boyfriendlies, Flaming Ovaries5 Responses to “Agreed”
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July 21st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
… long-term studies…found that by age 35, former teen moms had earned more in income, paid more in taxes, were substantially less likely to live in poverty…than similarly poor women who waited until their 20s to have babies. Women who became mothers in their teens — freed from child-raising duties by their late 20s and early 30s to pursue employment while poorer women who waited to become moms were still stuck at home watching their young children — wound up paying more in taxes than they had collected in welfare.”
I found this paragraph, particularly the last statement, especially compelling. In fact, all of the women I know who were “teen mothers” fit this model (of course, the places where I’m meeting these women are not the places where I’d meet those who don’t fit it). I always chalked it up to the fact that they had to take responsibility sooner than their teenaged counterparts.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Wow that passage Christy pointed out is really interesting. Will definitely have to check this out (as the daughter of a teen mom myself).
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Christy,
I’ve read one of those studies before but could never find it again. I’m happy for this article if for nothing but that!
I don’t know that I would have ended up more poor had I waited to have my kids, but I’m sure I would have continued making bad decisions based on the reasons I probably ended up pregnant in the first place (aloof parents, need of love and attention, not trusting myself as a result, lack of supervision, etc.). I’m damn sure more confident and happy and chose my career better because I had to grow up so early.
I don’t recommend this method for everyone, naturally.
I had family who existed, didn’t disown me, or throw me out and when I fell flat and hard and needed immediate help I had grandparents or someone to float me financially for a that moment or my mom who watched my kids for me so I could work nights and go to school during the day.
I am very aware that for young women who are truly alone, parenting is really not always an option. Although, they’re often the ones who have no access to abortion either.
As for my sister, I think having her daughter at 17 saved her life. I really do.
Overall, I think the problems addressed in the article are the REAL problems. Unplanned, teenage pregnancy is a symptom of other things. And I also think that it’s worth noting that young parents are not necessarily bad parents.
If you are wealthy and stay wealthy after birthing a baby, well, all your opportunities are still there. If you’re low to middle class and you stay that way, same thing. And if you are of the very poor, hell, what opportunities did you functionally have anyway?
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
And Jaelithe, look how smart and fabulous you ended up!
July 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I love Mike Males: he looks at data instead of cliches. He did some work with violence and the media which is really excellent too. (He shows that, d’uh, it’s not watching violent TV that makes kids violent; it’s having violence done to them. Who would have thought?)