https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/1351fefd23520217
Since we had been talking about sex and media I looked for an article that proved that sex on tv promoted young teen first times sex. This article says that seeing sexual shows between the ages of 12-14 increases young sex by about 30%. This is crazy. I don't know if kids are just naive or their parents didn't teach them correctly. How many tv shows are violent and have death in them? Lots, and you can't tell me that that they aren't watching that or playing video games that include violence. So if they are watching and playing these games is this to say that it increases violence? I know there are a few studies that do show this but its not quite as highly talked about. I know that parents talk to their children about the violence they see and that the deaths aren't real (or at least my parents did) and it was all about making tv, none of it was real. I don't think that parents have the same little chat with their kids about the sex they see on tv which I think is wrong. They should explain to their children what sex is all about. I know that having that chat is not a fun time, but if they're watching it at an early age, they probably need the talk at an early time.
Sorry guys, I know I'm running behind on putting this up again.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Who uses birth control
http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/?q=node/131
Since lately we have been talking a lot about contraceptive uses and the difference in race, gender, and all that, I decided to do some further research and see what else is said.
Western European countries have about the same average of teens having sex as the United States but because either the United States teenagers do not think about the future as much as the Europeans or we seriously are just mindless, the United States of course has a higher pregnancy rate. The United States doesn't just have a little higher rate of pregnancy its a large jump from what the Europeans have, all because contraceptive use is not used consistently. Contraception is very easily accessed throughout the United States there really isn't much excuse for teenagers to not be using it. Another great fact I read about in this article is that females and their partners don't always communicate whether they're using a type of birth control. That is a serious problem, if your having sex you should be able to have the big kid talk and be responsible enough to communicate whether or not birth control is being used from both partners. Guys generally think that all girls are on birth control of some sort because it makes life just great for them.
I do think it is great that they are trying to set a national goal to educate and increase contraceptive uses for the sexually active teens between 15 and 19. Teens clearly don't always think things through or need more information about where and how they can get birth controls and what kind of forms they can get. Teen pregnancy in the United States will hopefully go down eventually.
Since lately we have been talking a lot about contraceptive uses and the difference in race, gender, and all that, I decided to do some further research and see what else is said.
Western European countries have about the same average of teens having sex as the United States but because either the United States teenagers do not think about the future as much as the Europeans or we seriously are just mindless, the United States of course has a higher pregnancy rate. The United States doesn't just have a little higher rate of pregnancy its a large jump from what the Europeans have, all because contraceptive use is not used consistently. Contraception is very easily accessed throughout the United States there really isn't much excuse for teenagers to not be using it. Another great fact I read about in this article is that females and their partners don't always communicate whether they're using a type of birth control. That is a serious problem, if your having sex you should be able to have the big kid talk and be responsible enough to communicate whether or not birth control is being used from both partners. Guys generally think that all girls are on birth control of some sort because it makes life just great for them.
I do think it is great that they are trying to set a national goal to educate and increase contraceptive uses for the sexually active teens between 15 and 19. Teens clearly don't always think things through or need more information about where and how they can get birth controls and what kind of forms they can get. Teen pregnancy in the United States will hopefully go down eventually.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Post #2: Evan
After briefly discussing Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy in class today, I wondered what had happened to the former child star in the last four years. Someone at Entertainment Weekly must have been thinking the same thing, because this article was published just 3 days ago.
http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/02/03/jamie-lynn-spears-teen-pregnancy-glamour/
Like someone said in lecture on Monday, I, too, was incredibly shocked in 2007 to learn that Jamie Lynn Spears was pregnant at 16. I'll admit I was quick to judge and criticize - thinking that she must have been careless and fame-hungry in the shadow of her sister's global stardom. However, the fact that we haven't seen much of her since then, the statements made by Spears in this article, and the idea of social construction that we talked about in class make me think that perhaps I was misguided and a bit pretentious in my initial critique. Though I do still stand by my opinion that Spears' getting pregnant was a huge blow to Nickelodeon and the young star's pre-teen fans, she makes a valid point in stating, “I’d had one boyfriend. It doesn’t make it perfect or all right. But I was judged for something that probably most everyone does. I was young. I was in love. I was like every other teenager, except I had this last name.”
Jamie, like a large number of teens in the United States, was having sex at 16. However, like we discussed in lecture today, she was judged and criticized for not being able to hide the evidence of her sex life by getting pregnant. In her above statement, Jamie also shines light on another prevalent stereotype of teen pregnancy - that girls who get pregnant at a young age must be promiscuous. For whatever reason, this stereotype still exists in today's society and we are quick to label teen moms as "sluts" who must "get around." Spears' reminds us in this article that this is not always the case. In fact, as we learned in Week 1 readings, a large portion of teen pregnancies occur within the context of committed, monogamous relationships.
Good for her for stepping out of the spotlight to quietly focus on raising her daughter. Still probably won't be rushing to the store to buy her debut album though...
http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/02/03/jamie-lynn-spears-teen-pregnancy-glamour/
Like someone said in lecture on Monday, I, too, was incredibly shocked in 2007 to learn that Jamie Lynn Spears was pregnant at 16. I'll admit I was quick to judge and criticize - thinking that she must have been careless and fame-hungry in the shadow of her sister's global stardom. However, the fact that we haven't seen much of her since then, the statements made by Spears in this article, and the idea of social construction that we talked about in class make me think that perhaps I was misguided and a bit pretentious in my initial critique. Though I do still stand by my opinion that Spears' getting pregnant was a huge blow to Nickelodeon and the young star's pre-teen fans, she makes a valid point in stating, “I’d had one boyfriend. It doesn’t make it perfect or all right. But I was judged for something that probably most everyone does. I was young. I was in love. I was like every other teenager, except I had this last name.”
Jamie, like a large number of teens in the United States, was having sex at 16. However, like we discussed in lecture today, she was judged and criticized for not being able to hide the evidence of her sex life by getting pregnant. In her above statement, Jamie also shines light on another prevalent stereotype of teen pregnancy - that girls who get pregnant at a young age must be promiscuous. For whatever reason, this stereotype still exists in today's society and we are quick to label teen moms as "sluts" who must "get around." Spears' reminds us in this article that this is not always the case. In fact, as we learned in Week 1 readings, a large portion of teen pregnancies occur within the context of committed, monogamous relationships.
Good for her for stepping out of the spotlight to quietly focus on raising her daughter. Still probably won't be rushing to the store to buy her debut album though...
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Post 1: Evan
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/01/the-reads-you-need-komen-drops-planned-parenthood-funding/
Early this week, the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research announced that they would be dropping their funding to Planned Parenthood. Although much of the hype surrounding this issue has been about how the loss in funding will impact women's health care (specifically breast exams) for low-income females, this issue can also be very closely related to teen pregnancy in the U.S. We know from class and social observation that although the U.S. is a developed nation, many young people do not have access to education about sex and pregnancy through their schooling and are uncomfortable discussing it with their parents. Thus, many young women turn to services like Planned Parenthood, but often only after they've already become pregnant. Additionally, we know that statistically, young women who come from lower socioeconomic statuses are both more likely to get pregnant and more likely to need free/reduced healthcare services, such as those at Planned Parenthood. There are several examples of this on the MTV show 16 & Pregnant, including Farrah's episode where she admits to going to Planned Parenthood to seek help after becoming pregnant with Sophia. However, the cut in funding may inhibit Planned Parenthood's ability to continue to provide these services to young women, much less continue to grow their outreach and education programs (such as teaching about condom use).
Do you agree with the cut in funding due to religious/spiritual/political beliefs? Does it matter? Do you think it will have a positive or negative effect on teen pregnancy rates in the U.S.?
Early this week, the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research announced that they would be dropping their funding to Planned Parenthood. Although much of the hype surrounding this issue has been about how the loss in funding will impact women's health care (specifically breast exams) for low-income females, this issue can also be very closely related to teen pregnancy in the U.S. We know from class and social observation that although the U.S. is a developed nation, many young people do not have access to education about sex and pregnancy through their schooling and are uncomfortable discussing it with their parents. Thus, many young women turn to services like Planned Parenthood, but often only after they've already become pregnant. Additionally, we know that statistically, young women who come from lower socioeconomic statuses are both more likely to get pregnant and more likely to need free/reduced healthcare services, such as those at Planned Parenthood. There are several examples of this on the MTV show 16 & Pregnant, including Farrah's episode where she admits to going to Planned Parenthood to seek help after becoming pregnant with Sophia. However, the cut in funding may inhibit Planned Parenthood's ability to continue to provide these services to young women, much less continue to grow their outreach and education programs (such as teaching about condom use).
Do you agree with the cut in funding due to religious/spiritual/political beliefs? Does it matter? Do you think it will have a positive or negative effect on teen pregnancy rates in the U.S.?
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