G&S: Why do pregnant teen girls get ridiculed all the time?

I believe this happens everywhere, not just where you're from. I think adults do it because adults know how hard it is to raise a child and they're not in high school. Other teens do it because that's what other teens do. It's high school. When I was in high school, one of the smartest girls in my class got pregnant and I like everyone else could not believe she got pregnant. We're talking the girl that ran for class president, was up for class valedictorian, on the debate team, etc. Once again, this is why teens shouldn 't behave as if they are adults. Some adults can't handle the scrutiny, much less a teen. Boys will never get ridiculed even if he doesn't accept responsibility for the child he helped make. Why you may be thinking? Because that is the way things are. It's that age old thing. The boy gets something to the affect of an "Atta Boy!" and the girl is shunned. It isn't right and all that can be done is to deal with the situation and hopefully the boy steps up takes responsibility.

You're right. It's unfair. But as long as men and women are biologically different, they will never be treated the same. The girl is criticized more because she has the baby. If the boy runs away and gets rid of the girl, no one would ever know he had a kid. If the girl gets rid of the boy...she's still stuck with the baby with or without him even though they are equally to blame.

Everyone makes mistakes. Some people's mistakes are bigger than others'. Some people make mistakes from sheer irresponsibility. But what has been done, is done. Most teenagers are having sex, but most of those teenagers aren't getting pregnant. The fact is, only the girls get pregnant. That's biology for you. No matter how many women a man has sex with, he will never have a risk of getting pregnant. And (aside from child support payments) he'll never have to have anything to do with the child at all. So in reality, the responsibility is MORE on the female to say no to having sex rather than the male because she will be more affected than him if she gets pregnant (rape is a different situation altogether). That is just the reality of the situation.

Also, I wish people would use better metaphors. If you even read "The Scarlet Letter", you'd know that no one had a problem with her being pregnant. They had a problem with the fact that she had an affair while she was married. And they were just as willing to condemn the father of the child, but Hester refused to tell who it was. They also didn't have the abundance of birth control knowledge and options that we have today. Not quite relevant to modern teenage pregnancy and irresponsibility.

How very, very true. I am a 1960s feminist - burnt my bra and fought for women's rights for years. When I was 19 I had to get a man to guarantee I was a fit person to open a bank account! Can you imagine? Mortgage for a single woman - no way. Had to get my boss to guarantee it for me which meant I couldn't change jobs. Certain jobs were off limits - in the insurance market in London, women were not even allowed to step in the trading room - men only.

Things have changed a bit but women are still slags if they get pregnant - no similar word for men - oh no, it's way-hay, get your end away and I don't like condoms. Yes, it takes two to tango but we still have the double standard - one rule of girls and another for boys.

I am now a 70 year-old grandma with two daughters and granddaughters. I hope that in their life time we will at last get equal opportunities.

One more quick story - my auntie was put in a mental institution when she was 16 for getting pregnant (thru' rape by her brother). Keep it hush-hush - for the family name. She died in their 30 years later. How wicked is that. Thank goodness that doesn't happen now, or do you know different?

Best wishes with your life

Mo

Bc girls that get pregnant at such a young age are just dumb. There are SO many things out there available to them to prevent pregnancy, yet they get pregnant anyway and claim it was an accident. Its not fair to the baby that it will be born to teen parents that won't be able to raise it properly. Its more looked down on the girl bc she is the one who can take birth control. Yes, the male should have been wearing a condom, but ultimately its the girls responsibility to take care of her own body and make sure she is protected against pregnancy while having sex.

The day that both male and female teenage humans are able to get a full time job, go to school, pay pills, pay for transportation, pay not only their health insurance but the child on the way's insurance as well, pay rent or a mortgage is the day they some people will stop ridiculing them.

With the popularity of 16 and pregnant which showcases these teen's bad decisions on national television, is it really shocking?

Getting pregnant before finishing high school is generally a bad decision.

If you can't provide for yourself, you shouldn't bring kids into the world.

if you worked for a living instead of sitting at your computer you would see the ammount of deductions from your wages to support unmarried

mothers you would be at the front of the queue in critsising these stupid

girls

beware the late years 2020s to days baby boom will be old enough to produce more babies there will be a population explosion and more shirkers than workers then you will regret not joining in in as acritice.

i will be up the chimney by then yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

yes it takes two but the one who can get pregnant just has to say no

teens have no business being pregnant they arent mature enough to take care of a kid on their own and my tax dollars dont need to go to some fool that cant keep her legs closed

I gues its ok only to judge them if they are not taking responsibility but its also good to judge a dead beat father just as much.

Well, don't they say "my body, MY choice"?

In that case, it's only fair to say, "your body, YOUR responsibility."

Pregnant teens are looked down upon [and rightfully too] because they have demonstrated that they have their priorities messed up.