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photo: people
Talk about a loaded image: Bristol Palin on the cover of People in a graduation cap and gown cuddling her 5-month-old son Tripp.
She looks pretty and happy and goes on, in the article, to discuss life at home with her young son. She graduated from high school recently, but didn't exactly attend any Wasilla High parties to celebrate. Instead, she stayed home with her family and gave her son a bottle.
Bristol is the current spokesperson for the Candies Foundation, a nonprofit arm of the teen clothing company Candies, that works to educate young women about--and prevent--teen pregnancy. As such, she's spoken openly about her choices, calling her son a blessing but encouraging teens to abstain from sex.
"If girls realized the consequences of sex, nobody would be having sex," she tells People.
Some have called Bristol a hypocrite, and wonder how any teenager with a child can honestly endorse abstinence as a viable way to prevent pregnancy. Here's a quote from the iVillage community:
"It isn't helpful for a teen, on one hand, to profess abstinence as the best way to prevent pregnancy, but then say what a blessing her baby is." --mombitsey
Others support Bristol's stance and praise her for telling her personal story, inconsistencies included, and argue that her story speaks to the complexities that teens face every day. Here's what one iVillage community member had to say:
"I think it's okay that she says Tripp is a blessing. No matter the circumstances, a baby is never a "bad" thing. Lord help the baby whose Mommy doesn't believe they are a blessing, you know? You can't take that away from this family, no matter what your feelings about his grandmother. Good for the Palins for supporting her and her pregnancy and their grandson. I'm sure, given their beliefs, and the extent to which they are so vocal about them, it can't have been an easy thing to do. But they did what any parent should do--support your child." --emmake22
A more prevalent sentiment in our community, however, is that Bristol may not be the best spokesperson, not because her message is hypocritical, but because she's just not a realistic portrayal of teen pregnancy. People makes a point to mention that Tripp sleeps in a hand-me-down crib, and that he doesn't have a nanny. Putting those homespun details aside, Bristol Palin is still the daughter of the governor of Alaska. She's appeared on the Today show and is the spokesperson for a national foundation. She's undoubtedly had many opportunities--including the opportunity to finish high school--that others in her position just would not. Here's a sampling of comments from our community:
"She has all the financial support she needs, is getting paid for her "bad choices," and yet she's qualified to talk to some inner city girl. It's stupid, if you think about it!" --madisongore2009
"In a way, it's a mixed message because many will see her and think, 'Wow, she's getting all of this attention and she's on TV. And look, she's doing just fine.'" --kittyrose333
"I am rather annoyed that she is receiving an easier way than other single teen moms, simply because she is the daughter of someone famous. I think there are, by far, more girls in that situation that deserve the chance to express their thoughts about their choice. I think teens today would better associate with a girl just like them, not someone having an affair with the spotlight her mom put her in." --mirluinwen
"I think the other message is that you can make a profit off of being a teen mother if you happen to have a famous parent. Flying around the country getting paid to talk about how difficult your life is? It seems a bit inconsistent. I think that if they wanted to have someone talk about how difficult it is to be a teen mom, they could have chosen someone for whom it really was a huge burden." --amd1427
Our community has a point. Even the photo of Bristol on the cover of People is idealized, as though every teen mom can graduate, raise an adorable child with ease, and look cute--all at the same time. That said, Bristol's graduation is hugely positive for her (The Candies Foundation reports that less than half of teen mothers receive their high school diplomas) and People is interested in a glamorous story. You have to wonder, though, about other young women in Bristol's position, the ones who won't make it on any magazine cover.
--Laura Motta
Producer, Momtourage
4 Comments
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Hmm. I think its very hypocritical. Its very convenient to say "dont have sex, teens" when your mother is a conservative politician. Guess its one very different thing to actually go through with it. Sex is something that humans do, when will people stop pretending they can change human nature and just decide to let it happen and be safe about it?
She should NOT be a role model for young teenage girls OR a spokeperson for the prevention of teen pregnancy. She lives at home with famous mommy and daddy and family, and I'm guessing receives a ton of help, both financial and other from them. Her situation is nice for her and her baby, but not the typical life, but any stretch of the imagination, of a single teen mom. She CANNOT relate her story and life to those young teen girls who would benefit from the message she is supposedly providing. I've seen her interviewed live and when asked about her typical day, she says, she "wakes up and gets ready for school." No mention of having to take care of the baby through the night or early in the morning. Who does she and her supporters think they are kidding? It's a farce of the worse kind. Get her out of the spotlight, please. She is as bad a "role model" as Paris Hilton.
Absolutely no should Bristol Palin be a model for anyone but her own child. I am pleased that she and her child have the money and support needed. However, her situation is far, far diffierent from other teen mothers and it is silly to view it as the same.
She advocates abstinence while holding proof that abstinence isn't at all realistic. Politics aside, she is a young woman who is dealing with the repercussions of a decision. I take great umbrage with the idea that a privileged child, who had all the advantages of a economically stable, two-parent home is finding it appropriate to share her story as a beacon of hope with others.
Please don't make such huge assumptions based upon a picture and some media spin. I believe that comparing her to Paris Hilton is a huge leap of illogic. The point of Bristol is that she is speaking about abstinence. It is true that she has a beautiful support system. It is most likely that she will continue on to college while a poorer mother without family support would have to stay home on government support. But the some of the same things that keep single mothers up late at night will keep her up late at night too. Please don't downgrade her challenges because of financial security, she still has a huge responsibility to her family's image.