"Many teen moms and the adults who deal with them are glad to see a conversation about teen pregnancy out in the open. But they say that big parts of the story are being glossed over: how that baby bump came to be in the first place, and just how hard it'll be for a teen to raise a child. In "Juno," the word condom is used twice; the Jamie Lynn interviews skirt the issue altogether. Even "The Secret Life" (a show originally pitched with the title "The Sex Life of the American Teenager") only makes a few passing references to condoms, mostly students asking the guidance counselor about the ones kept in his office. In none of these shows are the girls asked whether they used contraception, nor is there mention of STD testing, which would seem a logical step after unprotected sex. "It's the missing three C's: there's little commitment, no mention of contraception and rarely do we see negative consequences," says Jane Brown, a journalism professor at the University of North Carolina who runs the Teen Media Project. "What's missing in the media's sexual script is what happens before and after. Why are these kids getting pregnant and what happens afterward?" "
Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing in California -pg 20
"According to a 1996 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, teens are most likely to learn about sex and birth control from their parents (72%), school (69%), and friends (60%). Still, a large proportion of youth report that they rely on TV shows and movies (53%) and magazines (39%) (Kaiser Family Foundation 1996). A 2002 national survey indicates that nearly three-quarters of 15-17 year olds believe that the sexual content on TV and in music videos influences the behavior of their peers "somewhat" or "a lot." However, less than one-quarter think it influences their own behavior to this degree (Kaiser Family Foundation 2002). Teens also report that they have learned positive lessons from television, such as how to say no to an uncomfortable sexual situation (60%) and how to talk to a boyfriend or girlfriend about safer sex (43%). In addition, one-third of teens reported having a conversation about sex with a parent due to a scene they saw on TV (Kaiser Family Foundation 2002). "
Jamie Lynn Spears' OK Magazine Cover
Time Magazine - 'Children having Children' Cover
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
USA Today - Teen Birth Rates Up in 26 States
NY Daily News - Lynn Spears: Jamie Lynn 'crucified' for teen pregnancy while Palin Family 'celebrated'
Huffington Post - Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney's 16-Year-Old Sister Announces Pregnancy
Newsweek - Grandmother Spears Speaks Out
Teen Pregnancy, Hollywood Style
"Many teen moms and the adults who deal with them are glad to see a conversation about teen pregnancy out in the open. But they say that big parts of the story are being glossed over: how that baby bump came to be in the first place, and just how hard it'll be for a teen to raise a child. In "Juno," the word condom is used twice; the Jamie Lynn interviews skirt the issue altogether. Even "The Secret Life" (a show originally pitched with the title "The Sex Life of the American Teenager") only makes a few passing references to condoms, mostly students asking the guidance counselor about the ones kept in his office. In none of these shows are the girls asked whether they used contraception, nor is there mention of STD testing, which would seem a logical step after unprotected sex. "It's the missing three C's: there's little commitment, no mention of contraception and rarely do we see negative consequences," says Jane Brown, a journalism professor at the University of North Carolina who runs the Teen Media Project. "What's missing in the media's sexual script is what happens before and after. Why are these kids getting pregnant and what happens afterward?" "
Washington Post - Bristol Palin 'thrilled' to be going Hollywood
Does 'Juno' show strength or glorify teen pregnancy?
Sex and the Media Study
Teenage Health and the Media
Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing in California -pg 20
"According to a 1996 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, teens are most likely to learn about sex and birth control from their parents (72%), school (69%), and friends (60%). Still, a large proportion of youth report that they rely on TV shows and movies (53%) and magazines (39%) (Kaiser Family Foundation 1996). A 2002 national survey indicates that nearly three-quarters of 15-17 year olds believe that the sexual content on TV and in music videos influences the behavior of their peers "somewhat" or "a lot." However, less than one-quarter think it influences their own behavior to this degree (Kaiser Family Foundation 2002). Teens also report that they have learned positive lessons from television, such as how to say no to an uncomfortable sexual situation (60%) and how to talk to a boyfriend or girlfriend about safer sex (43%). In addition, one-third of teens reported having a conversation about sex with a parent due to a scene they saw on TV (Kaiser Family Foundation 2002). "
http://motherjones.com/riff/2010/04/16-and-pregnant-and-almost-true
ABC News - Bristol Palin Campaings Against Teen Pregnancy - Video
Google Health - Adolescent Pregnancy