Teenage Pregnancy and Bristol Palin

Now and again a story will appear on Feministing.com that touches a nerve, and this is the latest one:

Bristol Palin: Don't Get Pregnant Unless You're Privileged

When I watched the clip, I found myself in complete agreement with Jos, who created the post, and her description of the whole thing as "generally creepy."

Firstly, aside from all feminist issues, this is extremely classist. Right, everyone, wait till you're a politician's rich daughter before you get pregnant! Nothing else could possibly do your baby any good... What's that? You're poor? Sorry, poor mothers are incapable. Forget it.

I'm not denying that, purely on a practical level, waiting until you can provide your baby with the best chance in life is the best policy. Getting educated, setting up a secure home and having a bit of life experience first is definitely a good idea. Children from poor families do, indeed, have a worst start in life than their wealthier counterparts. But who the hell is Candie's Foundation to give out the message that being privileged makes you a better mother than someone in less fortunate circumstances? This is just classist, through and through.

Secondly, why on Earth is Bristol Palin preaching abstinence? Clearly, the issue here is that she got pregnant, and doesn't actually seem to be doing too badly, given that she is supported and loved by her "famous family." Why are we confusing pregnancy with sex here?

When browsing the Candie's Foundation website, I came across a very irritating video that sees Jenny McCarthy forcing a screaming baby on a teenage girl who is just about to have sex in a car. Apart from the obvious fact that making out in a car does not equal baby in the arms (haha, quite laughable when you think about it), I think the message "Don't have sex because you could get pregnant" is extreme and misleading. I really don't understand why abstinence is somehow better for young people than being taught about good contraception and how to have fun without getting pregnant.

I'm not advocating sleeping around here, and I recognise that accidents happen, but I really don't see why a girl of Bristol Palin's age who wants to have sex sensibly should not do so.

When I did a bit more research into Candie's Foundation, I discovered they sell these hideous t-shirts. I was still unsure whether or not to write a blog-post on this topic until I discovered this link, and then I didn't have any doubt. This illustrates my pet-hate as a feminist: The sexy-pure double-standard. Eew.

As I keep preaching to my classmates--much to their irritation!--society tells us girls that we have to be sexy at the same time as being chaste. This hideous t-shirt design reinforces this double-standard in the most obvious and ridiculous way I have ever seen. I can't believe that girls feel comfortable wearing this. It's disgusting.

So, coming back to Bristol Palin... I'm not impressed. I hope lots of other girls aren't impressed too. If we want to reduce teenage pregnancy, we shouldn't be using it as an excuse to push abstinence, classism and double-standards.

J xxx