Guest Author - Candance Gordon
Bristol Palin, eighteen- year- old unwed mother to Tripp and daughter of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, recently made headlines when she was chosen as an ambassador to promote the Candie’s Foundation’s National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on May 6th. The mission of the foundation is to teach teens about the devastating effects of teenage pregnancy and encourage them to make smart decisions regarding sex.
Some people felt Palin was too controversial of a choice and USA Today even pulled a full-page PSA with her and fellow teenage mother Jamie Lynn Spears late last year, fearing it might be offensive. But, really, it seems to me that people missed the bigger picture about the event and the Candie’s Foundation as a whole because they were so preoccupied with Bristol Palin speaking out about abstinence. For as much as I think abstinence only education is ineffective and unrealistic, if anyone can bring that point to light it’s Bristol Palin. Teenage pregnancy is what happens when we don’t teach our children about options and protection. Palin can also teach the “do as I say, not as I do” message and tell girls first hand that being a teenage mom changes your life forever. Yes, she’s saying abstinence is only way to prevent getting pregnant, but “Heroes” actress Hayden Panettierre and other panelists were part of the Town Hall Meeting and were able to off-set her message by saying teens should be educated about safe sex.
The Candie’s Foundation isn’t about teaching abstinence only. They want to educate young people on what happens to pregnant teens. With nearly 750,000 girls under the age of 20 expected to get pregnant this year in the U.S, nearly half of which won’t complete high school and less than 2 percent will get a college degree by age 30, their message is a very important one. From there, the choice to be abstinent or practice safe sex is up to the teens, hopefully with the guidance of their parents. In a way that isn’t what’s traditionally considered pro-choice, The Candie’s Foundation is pro-choice.
Being pro-choice isn’t merely about whether or not a woman should be allowed to have an abortion. It’s about being aware of all your options, whether it’s to abstain from sex, which really is the only fool-proof way to not get pregnant, or to practice safe sex and have access to birth control and control over your reproductive system in general. The controversy over Bristol Palin almost caused the message of the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and the Candie’s Foundation to be lost, which would’ve been a loss for teens and for the pro-choice movement.
