Blog for Choice: Lifetime shouldn't raise awareness with a lie
This was originally posted at the AWEARNESS blog
Do you remember the pregnancy pact story? A group of teen girls in one high school decided to get pregnant at the same time? I do. I also remember it turned out to be a myth, a hoax, a lie. That didn't deter Lifetime though.
Just in time for Blog for Choice celebrations, Lifetime will premiere a movie "based on" the fictional events about the pregnancy pact. Lifetime responded to criticism by saying that the movie is about raising awareness about teen pregnancy. But how, really? Making a fictional movie about something that was a hoax to raise awareness about a real problem? What's next? A movie about Balloon Boy to raise awareness about Amber Alerts?
That's not to diminish the cost and impact of teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy is a serious issue that requires serious solutions, including supporting teen parents with child care and access to further education. But by basing a movie on a hoax that played on the idea that our teens are all running wild with the sex, well, it seems to miss the point. Chances are that a lot of concerned parents will end up watching and I do hope they take the chance to learn more about the issue and talk to their children, sons and daughters, about preventing pregnancy, teens access to contraception and the status of sex education in schools.
That said, I'll be tuning in to watch. Look for my tweets!
Just in time for Blog for Choice celebrations, Lifetime will premiere a movie "based on" the fictional events about the pregnancy pact. Lifetime responded to criticism by saying that the movie is about raising awareness about teen pregnancy. But how, really? Making a fictional movie about something that was a hoax to raise awareness about a real problem? What's next? A movie about Balloon Boy to raise awareness about Amber Alerts? That's not to diminish the cost and impact of teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy is a serious issue that requires serious solutions, including supporting teen parents with child care and access to further education. But by basing a movie on a hoax that played on the idea that our teens are all running wild with the sex, well, it seems to miss the point. Chances are that a lot of concerned parents will end up watching and I do hope they take the chance to learn more about the issue and talk to their children, sons and daughters, about preventing pregnancy, teens access to contraception and the status of sex education in schools.
That said, I'll be tuning in to watch. Look for my tweets!
