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MTV and Teen Pregnancy
Critical Essays on 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom
Editors:
Publisher:
2013
Summary
In 2009, 16 and Pregnant premiered on MTV, closely followed by the spinoffs Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2. Because of their controversial portrayals of teenage mothers, the shows have received ongoing media attention. While some argue that the programs could play a factor in reducing the number of teen pregnancies, others claim the shows exploit young women and glamorize their situations. Among these debates, there have been surprisingly few in-depth discourses that discuss the roles such shows have on teenage audiences.
In MTV and Teen Pregnancy: Critical Essays on 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, contributors from a variety of backgrounds and expertise offer potent essays about these programs. Divided into four parts, the book tackles the controversial representations of teen pregnancy from various disciplines. Part I explores gendered social norms and the shows’ roles as either educational resources or idealized depictions of teenage motherhood. Part II prompts readers to consider the intersections of race, class, gender, and the social and cultural power structures often glossed over in these programs. Part III focuses on teenage fathers, the portrayal of masculinity, and “good” vs. “bad” parents. Part IV draws from TVs representations of reality to discuss the impact of these shows on the viewing audience. This section includes a narrative from a teen mother who argues that the shows do not accurately reflect the life she leads.
As the debates about 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom continue, this collection provides a valuable critical discourse to be used both inside and outside the classroom. Those engaged in courses on gender and women’s studies, as well as media studies, social work, and family and childhood development, will find MTV and Teen Pregnancy especially insightful—as will those involved in community outreach programs, not to mention teens and young mothers themselves.
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Bibliographic data
Copyright year
2013
ISBN-Print
978-0-8108-9169-2
ISBN-Online
978-0-8108-9170-8
Publisher
Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language
English
Pages
264
Product type
Edited Book
Table of contents
ChapterPages
Contents No access
Acknowledgments No access
Introduction: Teen Moms and Baby Daddies No access
1 Teen Momism on MTV No access
2 16 and Pregnant and the “Unvarnished” Truth about Teen Pregnancy No access
3 Teen Moms Negotiate Desire No access
4 Othering the Mothering No access
5 “100% Preventable” No access
6 Teen Sex: An Equal Opportunity Menace No access
7 Sensationalizing the Sentimental No access
8 Pathological Motherhood, Parental Relationships, Expert Counseling, and Heteronormativity No access
9 16 and Pregnant, Masculinity, and Teen Fatherhood No access
10 Teenage Fathers No access
11 What’s a Baby Daddy to Do? No access
12 “Having an Abortion Is Not Uncommon, but Talking about It Publicly Is” No access
13 “I’ll See You in Court” No access
14 The Young and the Pregnant No access
15 Isolated and Struggling No access
Episode Bibliography No access Pages 235 - 238
Bibliography No access Pages 239 - 254
Index No access Pages 255 - 260
About the Editor and Contributors No access Pages 261 - 264
