Watching the 16 and Pregnant episode on Felicia, I’m amazed at quite at a number of things. The youngest of five children, Felicia watched both her sisters drop out of high school and have children young. She didn’t want to follow. So why have sex without a condom? Felicia tells her friends she has only used a condom twice in her sexual experiences. TWICE.
As we read in Guttmacher, “Facts on American Teens' Sexual and
Reproductive Health”
“No state explicitly requires parental consent or notification for contraceptive services. However, two states (Texas and Utah) require parental consent for contraceptive services paid for with state funds. [9]”. Felicia lives in Texas. Her overprotective mother, who from the looks of it was never a fan of Alex, probably would not have consented for contraceptive services. So, knowing she didn’t want to have children young and feeling the pressure to graduate high school, why would Felicia not use a condom?
There could be a lack of education. There could be pressure from an older boyfriend. It’s human nature to act irrationally in moments of extreme emotion. This includes what could be love. Felicia didn’t use condoms, and as far as the viewer knows, used no other forms of contraceptives.
I always find it interesting when the girls tell how they told their parents. “Oh my mom gave me a pregnancy test.” As if it was that simple. Felicia’s mother was heartbroken, her dream of her child finishing high school seeming far off in the distance.
“At least you’re not running away from it”- her friend says,
“Well, I lost it to him, I’m having his kid… going to stay with him.” Felicia responds.
It seems more like an punishment.
Alex and Felicia are an interesting couple. We never really find out how old Alex is or if he’s even in school. He dances and shaves heads part time. He asks Felicia if she’s ready to be a mom, but no one ever asks if he’s ready to be a dad. (Maybe they should ask that question on condom boxes and there wouldn’t be this problem?)
Felicia has a strong attachment to Alex, one that her friends obviously don’t understand. Alex is rude after moving in with Felicia and her parents, speaking disrespectfully to her mother and breaking curfew.
On top of everything else, she must try to tackle graduation requirements. She takes night classes but her new single parent lifestyle doesn’t allow much time for homework and she falls behind. Graduation might be delayed a bit more than expected.
One thing I was a bit surprised by was the secrecy. Do we live in a generation where daughters can’t tell their mothers things? She knows about her pregnancy, but not the rather large tattoo on her stomach? There is no trust between parent and child, or Felicia is extremely worried about disappointing her mother. They even sneak out of the house at night while Felicia’s parents are out. If everyone was just open, Felicia might not be so pregnant and there might be a lot more communication among the family.
When push comes to shove, Alex blames Felicia for all their problems. He whines to his friends about his “baby mama drama”. Worst of all, during her painful labor, where she gets physically ill, he asks, “Why you cryin’?” Maybe because a 8 lbs child is trying to get out?
I was glad to see MTV showed the epidural and the painful labor process. That is not something that should ever be glamorized. And then he did the worst thing you could do. He left her. But he had good reason, he had to change clothes. With the baby, he can barely stand to feed her, instead resorting to prop the bottle up against blankets. He can’t hold his own child, he’d rather run the risk she choke on the formula he made Felicia stop doing homework to make.
Felicia’s friends, immature and sixteen, say, “ I can’t believe this thing came out of your vagina!” While they shop for prom dresses, Felicia has to budget for diapers and strollers. Felicia states at the end of her episode she would do it differently if she had the choice.
MTV finally makes it known that teenage pregnancy isn’t all fun and games and maybe there is something behind this whole abstinence theory. This episode showed a lot of different aspects that we haven’t seen in other Teen Moms.
-Samantha Brayer
I think this a good statment! When I watched her episode I was outraged how immature she was just like every other girl on 16 and pregnant.I think that her mother didnt want to talk to her about sex because she didnt want to think that her teenage daughter was having sex just like every mother in America. But that still doesnt give Felica or her mother the excuse to not talk about sex and the safety messures to prevent teen pregnacy. I too am glad that they didnt glamorize the pregnancy because it shows teenagers who watch that babies dont come out so easily, that it sucks. And as for the father in the show I hope when he watched the show, which he probably did to get his 30 minutes of fame, I hope he realizes how immature he looked.
ReplyDeleteSamantha your post was great. I also watched the episode and sadly I want to say I was disappointed. Although I was glad MTV aired this episode, it made me mad the way Felecia was acting. She is very immature. Its blows my mind that parents do not talk to their children about sex. Parents dont talk to children about sex because they believe their children are not having sex. The reality is that they are and they need to know the risk and consequences. They also need to be provided with contraceptives. These teen girls are bringing BABIES into the world and they are still babies themselves. I hope this episode show girls its not all roses. Being a teen mother is hard. Believe me I know, I was a teen mother. My best advice to girls is to wait. WAIT WAIT WAIT. Samantha comment about putting statements on condoms made me laugh, but it is very true. I was also shocked when I read over the facts in Uganda, Malawi and Ghana. Aids is a big deal and girls from America read over these facts they might have a different view about sex .
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