When I first
started watching the Series “Teen Mom” on MTV I was captivated by the stories
of children having children. The theme was so prevalent in our society, from
watching “after school specials” growing up to “lifetime movies” as an early
adult I wasn't surprised to hear the rational and norms expressed by these teen
girls and their families. As the
stories progressed we have had the opportunity to watch these girls become
Mothers, and care for their children.
The show is a bit
of a guilty pleasure for me, until this season of Teen Mom 2 started a couple
weeks back. This new season has me up in
arms, specifically about Jenelle Evans. After
multiple attempts at getting clean, we find her recently married (her husband
in jail), recently out of jail herself and PREGNANT!!! She announces the news to a friend
as if she has found a new lipstick, not experiencing the miracle of creating a new life! Now I know I’m not the most open minded
person to be commenting on this. After all, I've been trying to create life for
more than 6 years now.
The first
episode quickly takes us through her decision to have an abortion, and her
journey of having said procedure. She pops a couple of pills, flails at her
mother, and complains about feeling emotionally unstable, while her first child
who she does not have custody for runs around in the chaos that continues. Just
good ole American Television at its best!
I am so perplexed
by my feelings on this, I feel stuck between Christian Grace and Infertile
Wrath. I certainly would not condemn any one for their choices, it’s not my
place. However I am so very worried about what message this sends the teens in America
who watch these girls. When did this kind of dysfunction become acceptable?
This all came
to a head for me when I saw a headline today….
Jenelle is Pregnant
again!!!
It’s all so disappointing.
I too have an obsession with Teen Mom. My husband ridicules me for it and always teases me that he won't record the series for me (I work out of town during the week), but then I remind him of all the crap that he watches and records during the week.
ReplyDeleteJanelle frustrates me to a great deal, but I see her as a product of her dysfunction...and to be honest, in my work (an alternative school), I see Janelle every day. Perhaps not with the addiction issues, although enough of them walk through the door higher than kites each morning that I could be wrong on that score. I don't know that the Teens of America are getting sent any message from Janelle and Teen Mom because I think many of them are living lives that are similarly on the edge and equally dysfunctional. I work with girls who are desperate for any kind of affection, who are proud of the number of boys that they've been with and who see babies as tickets to status. They're a bit envious of the girls on Teen Mom because as they say, "those white boys and hispanic boys are always fighting for visitation and custody of their babies. You don't see that around here."
Perhaps she's gotten herself together now. Maybe she's learned a lesson or two. I don't know. I hope she has. I feel sorry for her, I think because I see her like I see my students - desperate to hang on, unable to think of any other way to do it but to get pregnant. Sad.
People like her are not a trigger for my infertility struggles. The thoughtless comments of friends and family, all of the babies that have been born in the last six months, the talks about trying for second and third babies...that is painful because those are personal.