The MTV Reality Show '16 & Pregnant'
Teen pregnancy rates have been on a steady decline from 2009, and about six percent of this drop is accredited to the MTV reality show, 16 & Pregnant. MTV is an American television channel known for the airing of reality shows filled with controversial topics and dramatic scenes. 16 & Pregnant was first aired on the MTV channel in June of 2009. Created by Lauren Dolgen, 16 & Pregnant was the first show that strictly revealed the everyday lives of teen mothers. The reality show 16 & Pregnant has brought about much controversy over whether or not the show truly does the best it can at capturing the true lives of several teen mothers and how a pregnancy affected their lives. The show was on air until July of 2014. Although MTV is not the
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According to Amy Benfer, the emotional struggles of the girls are effectively shown not through interviews, but by displaying to viewers exactly what the young mothers do and how they react when faced with daily challenges. The teen mothers each narrate exactly what they were feeling at different points throughout the episodes. Amy Benfer also explained how riveting it was to watch as one of the teen mothers struggled emotionally with the sincere heartbreak of giving birth and then allowing the baby to be adopted by another family. Viewers also were able to watch the teen mothers struggle with having unsupportive families and friends. 16 & Pregnant reveals the major emotional consequences of teen pregnancy on a young mother. Not only would viewers gain perspective on the emotional challenges a teen mother faces, but would also gain a respect for teen mothers who overcome such hardships. When people see the emotional struggles a teen mother faces in their day to day lives, they will begin to see that reality shows such as 16 & Pregnant are bringing awareness to the challenges and hardships teen mothers face emotionally. Along with these emotional and physical struggles, 16 & Pregnant discourages teen pregnancy by focusing on the financial struggles that occur for a teen …show more content…
Nicole Martins states in her article that the 16 & Pregnant series portrays teen mothers as being well off financially and having supportive friends, families, and fathers of their children. To elaborate, viewers are believed to think the teenage girls with children have easy access to childcare, are able to finish schooling with ease, and have money to fulfill all their needs. It is understandable why the opposition argues that the show portrays the teen mothers as having a glamorous lifestyle when, as Susie Kroll addressed, their faces are all over magazine covers much like celebrities. Although the girls have taken on a celebrity amed status, 16 & Pregnant does not focus the show around their stardom. Though it is a valid point because the girls do live a celebrity-inspired lifestyle now, 16 & Pregnant still discourages teen pregnancy by focusing on the hardships a teen mother faces. The show brought this fame to the young mothers, but it does not make that a point to recognize in the show itself. The glamorization of teen pregnancy is not the only argument critics make when proclaiming that shows such as 16 & Pregnant promote teen pregnancy; many will also make the argument that the MTV network is not possibly capable of airing a television series that portrays actual
According to Amy Benfer, the emotional struggles of the girls are effectively shown not through interviews, but by displaying to viewers exactly what the young mothers do and how they react when faced with daily challenges. The teen mothers each narrate exactly what they were feeling at different points throughout the episodes. Amy Benfer also explained how riveting it was to watch as one of the teen mothers struggled emotionally with the sincere heartbreak of giving birth and then allowing the baby to be adopted by another family. Viewers also were able to watch the teen mothers struggle with having unsupportive families and friends. 16 & Pregnant reveals the major emotional consequences of teen pregnancy on a young mother. Not only would viewers gain perspective on the emotional challenges a teen mother faces, but would also gain a respect for teen mothers who overcome such hardships. When people see the emotional struggles a teen mother faces in their day to day lives, they will begin to see that reality shows such as 16 & Pregnant are bringing awareness to the challenges and hardships teen mothers face emotionally. Along with these emotional and physical struggles, 16 & Pregnant discourages teen pregnancy by focusing on the financial struggles that occur for a teen …show more content…
Nicole Martins states in her article that the 16 & Pregnant series portrays teen mothers as being well off financially and having supportive friends, families, and fathers of their children. To elaborate, viewers are believed to think the teenage girls with children have easy access to childcare, are able to finish schooling with ease, and have money to fulfill all their needs. It is understandable why the opposition argues that the show portrays the teen mothers as having a glamorous lifestyle when, as Susie Kroll addressed, their faces are all over magazine covers much like celebrities. Although the girls have taken on a celebrity amed status, 16 & Pregnant does not focus the show around their stardom. Though it is a valid point because the girls do live a celebrity-inspired lifestyle now, 16 & Pregnant still discourages teen pregnancy by focusing on the hardships a teen mother faces. The show brought this fame to the young mothers, but it does not make that a point to recognize in the show itself. The glamorization of teen pregnancy is not the only argument critics make when proclaiming that shows such as 16 & Pregnant promote teen pregnancy; many will also make the argument that the MTV network is not possibly capable of airing a television series that portrays actual