The glamor of the teen pregnancy pact

Remember those seventeen (17!) teen pregnancies at a high school in Gloucester, Massachusetts that became even more shocking when it seemed the girls involved all purposefully tried to get pregnant at the same time? The story ignited a pro-sex ed and abstinence-only fervor along with a bizarre sideshow involving a 24-year-old homeless man. The thing is, the pregnancy pact turned out to be a hoax. But apparently Lifetime didn’t get the memo:

Sure, I’m glad to see Camryn Manheim getting work and no I don’t believe television, rock music or video games are to be blamed for bad behavior in our children. But this is still a way of glamorizing the young girls of Gloucester who did get knocked up, whether through peer pressure or just dumb luck.

Teen pregnancy is often a way to get attention – negative or positive – and a desperate play to obtain that unconditional love only a child can give (yea, right say those of us who have been attacked by an aggressive teething baby). As one Gloucester classmate stated in the Time article that “broke” the story, “No one’s offered them a better option.” But now Lifetime is with “The Pregnancy Pact” airing this Saturday and broadcasting these girls’ life stories to millions. That’ll teach ‘em.