As my nieces went through high school, one of my biggest fears was that one (or both) of them would become pregnant.
For those who are wondering what brought this topic to mind for today’s Current Event post — it was this picture…
Yup... This is a real picture.
Sorry for the low quality – but that’s the image that’s circulating.
I’m honestly a little bothered by the picture. I don’t think that young moms are bad people or anything (I think that mine was when she had my oldest brother) – but I’m not comfortable with high school age girls taking on the trials of motherhood before their lives have officially gotten off to a good start.
I remember high school in the inner-city — going to classes with pregnant girls (up to a certain level of development) wasn’t a surprise. The girls were happy for the most, just like these girls above.
I know it’s not the end of your Life when you have kids this young, but you’re still a kid yourself. An people judge women who have kids early very harshly. Sure they won’t say anything to the people they know – but for a lot of people, until it hits close to home, they’ll bad mouth these moms all day.
I originally found that picture on Tumblr – and I like the message that the author of the blog put along with it…
People are calling them hoodrats and hoes but really they are lost and misguided and now they are mothers and will most likely end up on welfare and will continue the cycle of fatherless and poverty stricken children in the Black community. But y’all criticize them instead of wondering where their parents are and where the boys are or wondering why we live in a society where this is the norm. The more we just insult these girls and Black women in general, the further we are from really making a change in our community. This whole thing saddens me. WE ALL HAVE TO DO BETTER.
She’s right. It’s sad – I hate to admit it – but she’s right. As much as people want to blame the over-sexualized marketing, music, movies, “the media” and whatever else they can think of – it comes down to US. That’s why I was motivated to dig into it a little deeper and discuss this topic with you all.
Although it looks like the 2011 figures aren’t out yet (I tried to find ‘em folks), the numbers for teenage pregnancies are apparently down…
U.S. Baby Birth Rates by Ethnicity
It’s comforting to see that the numbers are beginning to tail off a little bit – but still, when you take a hard look at the estimates. I mean the real numbers – not the stories (numbers don’t lie folks).
CLICK THE PIC for a larger view...
According to the CDC (and to be transparent here – this is something that I think everyone is somewhat aware of – but it sucks that we accept this as “the norm”) in a study from a few years ago…
Non-Hispanic black youth, Hispanic/Latino youth, American Indian/Alaska Native youth, and socioeconomically disadvantaged youth of any race or ethnicity experience the highest rates of teen pregnancy and childbirth. Together, black and Hispanic youth comprise nearly 60% of U.S. teen births in 2009, although they represent only 35% of the total population of 15–19 year old females.1
There’s more facts on teen pregnancy in general here and here. I think information and actually addressing the topic are the way to go. Not so much fear tactics like you see off to the right of this text. People, including myself were worried about the cultural implications of TV shows like MTV’s 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom — but looking at the numbers above, maybe those things are the way to go.
CLICK THE PIC for a larger view...
The picture above motivated me to have a sit-down with a few younger people since originally seeing it: My mentee (he’s male), my nieces, some young church kids – the whole nine.
Yet and still – all of that said – how does this fit into being a Gentleman? Well, it takes two – a fact that I think people forget when these situations arise. You’ll often times hear anecdotal stories about teen pressure to have sex in relationships – that junk is true for a lot of these girls. Fellas – we may (if you already don’t) have daughters one day running around with these knuckle heads — we have to school them better in how to treat a young lady and what sexual intercourse really means and can do (pass on STDs and make babies).
But we need to be real with them. I hope this isn’t TMI – but I was a teenager when I started. Every teenager I talk to about this subject is made aware of that – it doesn’t discredit me, it just makes me human to them. I make them aware of my good times and bad and just frankly tell them that looking back on it with a more mature mind (vs. hormones) – it wasn’t worth the risks involved at that age. I try to make it clear to them the type of things some of my friends, who had kids had to, had to sacrifice in their youth that I didn’t.
In a sense – we, as Men, need to paint a more vivid (but honest) picture for these younger dudes out here. Women (I think) already get this schooling extensively – but then one of us comes along (Men) in their younger years and makes them forget most of their home warnings.
Teens who had sex for the first time with someone they’d just met include: 8% of Hispanic females, 16% of white females, and 21% of black females; 32% of Hispanic males, 26% of while males, and 30% of black males; 24% of females age 14 or under, 14% of females age 15-16, and 10% of females age 17-19; 38% of males age 14 or under, 24% of males age 15-16, and 20% of males age 17-19.
Source: Teen Pregnancy…
This isn’t just an issue for one race – it’s something that goes down with everyone… There are health complications associated with it – emotional development issues – matters of economic status… That’s what Life will do to you I guess.
Anyway, I’m rambling now.
Share your thoughts on this topic in the Comment Section below. Spread the word to folks and keep in mind that although the subject matter may be somewhat taboo and a little uncomfortable, it’s to help some younger people coming behind us. We have to tell them, whether we were good examples or not, the realities that they don’t know yet.
Peace and thanks for reading.
Babies Having Babies…
As my nieces went through high school, one of my biggest fears was that one (or both) of them would become pregnant.
For those who are wondering what brought this topic to mind for today’s Current Event post — it was this picture…
Yup... This is a real picture.
Sorry for the low quality – but that’s the image that’s circulating.
I’m honestly a little bothered by the picture. I don’t think that young moms are bad people or anything (I think that mine was when she had my oldest brother) – but I’m not comfortable with high school age girls taking on the trials of motherhood before their lives have officially gotten off to a good start.
I remember high school in the inner-city — going to classes with pregnant girls (up to a certain level of development) wasn’t a surprise. The girls were happy for the most, just like these girls above.
I know it’s not the end of your Life when you have kids this young, but you’re still a kid yourself. An people judge women who have kids early very harshly. Sure they won’t say anything to the people they know – but for a lot of people, until it hits close to home, they’ll bad mouth these moms all day.
I originally found that picture on Tumblr – and I like the message that the author of the blog put along with it…
She’s right. It’s sad – I hate to admit it – but she’s right. As much as people want to blame the over-sexualized marketing, music, movies, “the media” and whatever else they can think of – it comes down to US. That’s why I was motivated to dig into it a little deeper and discuss this topic with you all.
Although it looks like the 2011 figures aren’t out yet (I tried to find ‘em folks), the numbers for teenage pregnancies are apparently down…
U.S. Baby Birth Rates by Ethnicity
It’s comforting to see that the numbers are beginning to tail off a little bit – but still, when you take a hard look at the estimates. I mean the real numbers – not the stories (numbers don’t lie folks).
CLICK THE PIC for a larger view...
According to the CDC (and to be transparent here – this is something that I think everyone is somewhat aware of – but it sucks that we accept this as “the norm”) in a study from a few years ago…
There’s more facts on teen pregnancy in general here and here. I think information and actually addressing the topic are the way to go. Not so much fear tactics like you see off to the right of this text. People, including myself were worried about the cultural implications of TV shows like MTV’s 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom — but looking at the numbers above, maybe those things are the way to go.
CLICK THE PIC for a larger view...
The picture above motivated me to have a sit-down with a few younger people since originally seeing it: My mentee (he’s male), my nieces, some young church kids – the whole nine.
Yet and still – all of that said – how does this fit into being a Gentleman? Well, it takes two – a fact that I think people forget when these situations arise. You’ll often times hear anecdotal stories about teen pressure to have sex in relationships – that junk is true for a lot of these girls. Fellas – we may (if you already don’t) have daughters one day running around with these knuckle heads — we have to school them better in how to treat a young lady and what sexual intercourse really means and can do (pass on STDs and make babies).
But we need to be real with them. I hope this isn’t TMI – but I was a teenager when I started. Every teenager I talk to about this subject is made aware of that – it doesn’t discredit me, it just makes me human to them. I make them aware of my good times and bad and just frankly tell them that looking back on it with a more mature mind (vs. hormones) – it wasn’t worth the risks involved at that age. I try to make it clear to them the type of things some of my friends, who had kids had to, had to sacrifice in their youth that I didn’t.
In a sense – we, as Men, need to paint a more vivid (but honest) picture for these younger dudes out here. Women (I think) already get this schooling extensively – but then one of us comes along (Men) in their younger years and makes them forget most of their home warnings.
This isn’t just an issue for one race – it’s something that goes down with everyone… There are health complications associated with it – emotional development issues – matters of economic status… That’s what Life will do to you I guess.
Anyway, I’m rambling now.
Share your thoughts on this topic in the Comment Section below. Spread the word to folks and keep in mind that although the subject matter may be somewhat taboo and a little uncomfortable, it’s to help some younger people coming behind us. We have to tell them, whether we were good examples or not, the realities that they don’t know yet.
Peace and thanks for reading.
About Johnnie at GentlemanREDUX
Johnnie Weathersby III is the founder and "Lead Scribbling Gent" of GentlemanREDUX.com. He was born and (proudly) raised in Kansas City, MO - smack dab in the Midwest Region of the US. An avid blogger, tweeter, and general social media advocate - Johnnie is a self-confessed Gent in training with a constant slant towards communication and personal growth.