obviously women in our culture don't already experience enough shame.

and i'm sure being relentlessly splashed all over the media, nationwide, for a month or so, with almost unilaterally negative spin, is really making these young women feel good about themselves.

and come on! abstinence works so well! all those studies by scientists (godless believers in EVOLUTION!) are lying.

Interesting theory that publicly shaming someone works. Because, apparently public shaming has done nothing for this guy, and you know people have had to have been laughing at him for years for saying crap like this....

When statistical oddities like that school pop up, right wingers can have a field day because of the systematic starvation of public education, especially mathematics and science.

Keep people stupid so you can take advantage of them.

It's definitely working for them, this guy is just the latest advert for why people need the tools to identify truth from ideological oriented fiction.

Scarlet Letter, anyone?

And again (though I'm sure I don't need to point this out to Feministing readers) it's the girl who takes the pregnancy test who must be shamed, but no mention of the boy who helped get her pregnant.

Ugh. My marching band from high school always performs in that parade -- there's a Horribles Parade ribbon on the wall above me as I type this. I wonder if they did this year. I'll have to ask my friends.

"When the same girl shows up at the school clinic for five pregnancy tests in one month, shouldn’t somebody be mocking her for it?"

How about having a talk with her about birth control? or telling her where to get condoms and how to get on the pill? Mocking isn't exactly the most professional way to deal with people... what if he caught strep throat or something and went to the doctor where he was mocked for sharing a drink with someone??

I can't believe this guy is serious.

Doesn't anyone who supports shaming wonder what happens to those girls once they become women and sex is suddenly alright for them to participate in?

Teenage girls are supposed to be shamed for having sex and then become wanton love goddesses once they get involved with a guy in adulthood? They're supposed to feel good about fulfilling their husband's sexual needs?

Someone needs to tell this guy that he is never again allowed to complain about a woman's sexuality again, since he seems so gung-ho to damage it while they develop.

Let's look at an example from literature, shall we?

Hester Prynne: adultery, baby out of wedlock, refused to name the father (who we ultimately find out was a minister). Put in the stocks and then made to wear a scarlet "A" on her dress at all times. Effective punishment? Hardly. She adorned that "A" like a crown jewel. yup, she was ashamed all right.

It's the Boston Herold. Please equate it to a supermarket tabloid because that's all it is. The shit the columnists write is meant to be idiotic so that people will buy it and laugh. I always run pictures of BatBoy through my head as I read anything from the Herold. It helps me keep things in prospective.

Obviously it's low on my reading list because I can't even be bothered to spell the damn thing correctly. -_-;;

Destra -

I totally agree that the Herald has very little real news value. the problem is that many people in our fair city, and surrounding areas, do not see it that way. they read that, and that only, for their news. So, we need to treat it like Fox news. Bad, destructive "journalism" that many many people (unfortunately) use as their primary news source.

Too bad I'm in my cubicle. I could scream right now.

Erinemelia, YES. That very quote is the one that disturbed me the most. MOCK someone who goes to the clinic five times? Try INQUIRE why that person is going to the clinic so frequently. DISCUSS what this person's tests might mean. MOCK? If I went to student health services for a pregnancy test -- or anything else for that matter. My God, the common cold! -- and knew I would be "mocked" instead of giving correct and helpful health information...

I'd rather battle the damn cold with tissues, cough drops and a wastepaper basket.

Destra, sure it's the Boston Herald, but really, it's still another voice coming from Massachusetts, and, as Vanessa said, something that represents those abstinence-only folk.

I'm not surprised. This is the same newspaper that showed a girl dying on the street on their front page.

From public shaming to backalley abortions to death. At least thats what would happen if these anti-choice "pro"-abstinence assholes took over.

My comment on the article:
"Your article disgusts me beyond what I thought possible. I wonder how you would feel if the rest of us endorsed publicly shaming columnists who wrote such drivel, since it seems so easy for you to condone shaming a group of which you are not, and were never, a part. That's the coward's way of dealing with real life, which you have clearly never experienced. "

Personally, I think I was a little too nice.

I think someone should find out some personal information about this guy, and then his community should try and publicly shame him with their own parade making fun of him.

I remember in college my friend wrote a paper for a theology class on abortion. She took the stance that maybe if people wanted to end abortion they would stop creating a situation where bring pregnant is the worst most humiliating thing that could ever happen to a girl. Her issue was the fact that often times the shame and fear and realization that no one will help them improve their life creates a situation where it's understandable why abortion is the best option. Every time I see articles like this it makes me think of that paper and how "pro-life" people often create a no-win situation for people who do not procede exactly in the route that they decided is appropriate

Hellotampon,
That is actually one of the most interesting ideas for a paper I've heard in a while. I would be really, really interested in reading that, if you were able to obtain a copy?

I never thought of the idea of shame in terms of the "pro-life" vs. "pro-choice" framing. All I've heard is sophomoric religious ranting about the idea of killing a conscious, rational entity. But, the social idea of shaming someone for being pregnant is something, really disgusting, it's true.

Where it comes from though, I think has partial relevancy. The pure stigma of teenage pregnancy as a sin, or as dirty is, excuse my language, bullshit. But, the problems of monetary support, juggling babies and school (and maybe a job), etc is still relevant in terms of teenage pregnancy. I, personally, believe that's the way to inform adolescents, by telling them the consequence of their choice without irrational bias.

Sorry, that was meant to be addressed to natmusk. At least the opening paragraph.

I really wish someone would just do an interview with one of those girls arleady. I ahve a feeling comprehensive sex ed isn't the issue here-- that telling women how to avoid getting pregnant wasn't the problem. I have a feeling the culture of teen motherhood is the problem, and... er... isn't shame one way of trying to change a culture? Not the most healthy method, but everyone agrees that what happened with these girls is an undesirable outcome, so shouldn't someone find some way... like shame... to emphasize that you shouldn't want to be a mother at age 15?

There are 15-year-olds who know that if they make the wrong choice, they will be greeted with embarrassment and disappointment, not on-campus day care."

I find this guy and the float (and the right-wing war on family planning) disgusting, but the message--that these kids are making some stupid decisions, without reflection on the gravity of the consequences. Shocker--some teen parents actually SUCK. They NEVER "make it work." And in part that might be society's fault--what about their responsibility (or lack thereof?) They're not full adults, but does that mean they're infants (judging by their flippant disregard for such a serious commitment and the work it entails for the people who bring that kid in the world?) If they make shockingly stupid immature decisions, why SHOULDN'T people see them as infantile (not necessarily the most productive means of resolution)?

The guy is an asshole but I am disturbed how many people UNDERSTAND WHAT BIRTH CONTROL IS--THEY JUST DON'T GIVE A SHIT. The teens he's referring to (based on the story....story, or full-blown "rumor", given the aftermath of the "pregnancy pact" news story?) are those who WANT to get pregnant and take it for granted that their mothers or the state will raise them, ignoring the fact that they might not be the most capable parents at age 15. I'm sorry if these girls (guys get off scott free cuz they don't get pregnant!) are delusional in part b/c they think having a child will give them something rewarding...but it still angers me.

"Comprehensive sex-ed" if someone is convinced to be pregnant. They should DEFINITELY have a "don't be so impulsive, raising a healthy child is a hell of a lot harder than you kids seem to think"-type class.

This is one of the many reasons I'm a reality-based sexuality educator. Teens need information, access to contraception, and honest, respectful conversations about responsibility & health. Shame-based, abstinence-only "education" does more harm than good, and it just gets me all verklempt.

If anyone's interested in the program I work with, you can find more info at http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/ourwhole/

I take a pregnancy test every couple of months, not because I don't have birth control, but because I'm on it all the time. My doctor told me I could stop taking the nuva ring out for a week every month in order to prevent the awful headaches I get as a result of the estrogen in my system dropping. Now that I'm not having a period every month to remind me that I'm not pregnant, I get a little paranoid :-/.

I always wonder if these people ever think about the kid who is eventually going to be born when they encourage shaming teen mothers. The baby will have a mother who will most likely struggle financially, and on top of that is being called a dirty slut for not secretly having an abortion, moving to her aunt's house out of state for nine months (then putting the baby up for adoption, of course) or doing the good old fashion "throwing herself down the stairs" thing. Niiiiice job asshole. That kid's going to grow up in a great environment.

This drivel is fucking sick. I don't really think teenagers need any encouragement from adults to shame other students like that. When I was a sophomore in high school, one of my classmates got pregnant and it's one of my greatest regrets from high school how some of my friends and I talked about her. Nine years later, we have thankfully matured and grew some compassion. None of us were necessarily assholes, but it's confusing enough to know how to handle something like that as a teenager without douchebags promoting hateful stuff like the parade. Pregnant teenagers don’t need anymore shit than what they’re already getting from every other angle.

One dimension of this story that's been overlooked is that this is the very same community whose men organized a massive "Men Against Domestic Violence" program at the very same parade a few years ago. A video, "Breaking Our silence" (mediaed.org) was released just about these men's efforts to combat gender violence. See: http://www.strongmendontbully.com/

Where are those men on this issue? I hope they are active; I would be disappointed if they remain passive while this happens at the VERY SAME parade they attend to demonstrate against this kind of harassment.

What really bothers me about this is the fact that Gloucester is a working class town and Beverly is a little more of the ritzy 'burb type of place. That ... makes me uncomfortable, the rich folks mocking the working class "rubes" down the way.

According to another article linked from that one, it seem it's not an uncommon occurrence throughout Massachusetts (and, I'm guessing, the country). I graduated recently (2007) from a private high school where a large percentage of my classmates were from upper-class families. There were (at least according to rumor) plenty of pregnancies- it's just that the school's policy was that it would ask you to leave if you decided to carry to term, so pregnancies were always aborted. No one should be pointing fingers at the girls in Gloucester: they didn't necessarily make great choices, but teen pregnancy is a recurring cultural issue that requires attention (and that attention should not be focused on mocking these teens). Also, at least based on media portrayals like Saved!, Juno, &c., it would seem that teen mothers face enough judgment as it is. I'm guessing the author of that article is pro-life, so why is he shaming these girls for decided to stay pregnant when plenty of others decide on abortion and therein avoid such public shame?

I too am seriously disturbed that ALL of the emphasis is on the girls- they didn't exactly get pregnant on their own. The above analogy of the Scarlet Letter is perfect- once again, where is Dimmesdale, and if we're going to put anyone on a scaffold, shouldn't he be there too?

How should we treat 14 and 15 year old teens who purposefully get pregnant? These are teens who know about and have access to contraception, they just chose not to use it, because they were actively trying to conceive.