With Eyes Open : Framing Teen Pregnancy in the Media

With Eyes With Eyes OpenOpen::

Framing Teen Pregnancy in Framing Teen Pregnancy in the Mediathe Media

Darragh Dandurand Friedman

A bit about me…

0Temple University – Undergraduate Junior0 Fields of Study:

0Media Literacy / Theory0Women’s Studies: Feminist Theory, Human

Sexuality, Gender Identity

0Active feminist0Love public speaking, chocolate, total cat

person0Want to meet everyone on the planet

0A website devoted to deconstructing media and media culture around us

0An academic project and personal pursuit0Some previous media reviews:

0 The Princess & the Frog0 Saturday Night Fever0 Brave

ABC news – teen pregnancy

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Workshop Itinerary

0Reflections of Womanhood, Pregnancy & Youth

0Understanding Media0Literacy

0 Media & Body0 Deconstructions & Conversations

0What is Feminism?

What does it mean to be a…

0woman?0pregnant woman?0teenager?0mother?0sexy?0loved?0respected?0successful?0famous?

What does it mean to be…

Normal?

We’ll come back to this…

Media is…

Music Books

Music Videos Clothing

Commercials Television

Advertisements

Digital Academic Video Games Mobile Social Networking Magazines Internet

Media LiteracyDefinition

0What is “literacy?”

0What is “media literacy?” (or ML)0 authorship &

critical consumption of media

0Key Concepts:0 Communication0 Media0 Analysis0 Literacy0 Art

EmbracingTechnologyInEducation.wikispaces.com - http://embracingtechnologyineducation.wikispaces.com/Internet+Safety+%26+Media+Literacy

Media LiteracySignificance

0Helps to define ideas of:0 Normality

0Body Image0Cultural Expectations0Success0Truth0Politics0Branding / Advertising0Representation0Gender & Sexuality0Violence

Media Literacy Affects/Effects

0“Spheres of Influence”0 Child: Family, Media0 Tween: Family, Media, Peers0 Teenager: “Super Peer” Media, Peers0 Young Adult: Media, Peers, Politics0 Adult: Media, Peers, Politics, Finances

Media Literacy Framing

SocietyMedia

Sense of Normality &

Reality

DefinesControls Conforms

Young,Gender-Socialized

Female Demographic(women)

Media Messages,Conglomerates & Power

Sexual Behavior,Scripts & Agendas

The Funnel of Dramatized Reality

“Commercial Realism”Goffman, Erving. Gender Advertisements. New York: Harper & Row, 1979. Print.

Media LiteracyPurpose

0Being critical of the world and how it is presented through media in order to comment on and improve it

0Helping to filter, construct, educate and investigate the trends and ideas perpetuated by media

Media LiteracyConflict

0 Can you still appreciate work while analyzing it?

0 Does everything need to be analyzed?

0 What is “art?” What is its deeper meaning?

0 Is “art” ever just “art?”

0 Can something be entertaining and educational?

0 When is media just entertainment? When is it more?

0 Does education lose clarity and value if it is entertaining?

…Walking the Fine Line…Entertainment vs. Education Appreciation vs. Analysis

Media ExamplesKe$ha, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Lady

GaGa

Media Examples16 & Pregnant

Media ExamplesTeen Mom

Media ExamplesThe Secret Life of an American Teenager

Pregnancy Fame

0Kim & Kanye0The Pregnancy Pact0 Jamie Lynn Spears0Bristol Palin

What does it mean to be a…

0woman?0pregnant woman?0teenager?0mother?0sexy?0loved?0respected?0successful?0famous?

“Is The Media Glorifying Teen Pregnancy?”

2010, PROWL Blog0 “[Teen Mom] is the #2 most watched television series in MTV

history, second only to The Jersey Shore. The show is reaching a huge audience, but not without controversy.”

0 “The stars of the show (“typical teen moms”) have been made into celebrities overnight and are now featured on dozens of magazine covers. Many people think MTV and the media are being extremely irresponsible by glamorizing teen pregnancy. Others think that the show sets a good example, showing the consequences of premarital sex. The debate goes back and forth, but with teen pregnancy on the rise in the United States, many want a clear answer about the impact of the media.”

0 “According to Family First Aid, the United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Teen pregnancy costs the United States at least $7 billion annually. Thirty-four percent of young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20, and eight in 10 of these pregnancies are unintended. The statistics are staggering, but with all of the sex displayed across televisions everywhere, why wouldn’t teenagers be influenced by it?”

“MTV shows glorifying teen pregnancy?” The Massachusettes Daily Collegian,

GEMMA SANTAMARIA, 2011

0 “These recent breakout stars have taken over magazine covers, news stories, even Facebook and Twitter pages; they’re our new celebrities.” – “MTV shows glorifying teen pregnancy?” The Massachusettes Daily Collegian, GEMMA SANTAMARIA

0 “The premiere of “Teen Mom” in February of last year had 3.4 million viewers, most of which were assumingly teenage girls.”

0 “All the efforts made by the media trying to discourage girls from teen pregnancy and unprotected sex seem to be contradicted by these two successful series.”

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Media LiteracyApplication

Begin the Conversation!What is the

medium of the media?

What is the purpose of this piece?

How does it make me

feel?How do I think

it should make me

feel?

Do others react in the same way that

I do?

What is the cultural context it was created in?

What cultural context am I

using it analyze it?

Media LiteracyApplication

0How to Deconstruct & Discuss:0 Encourage yourself and others to push the

boundaries of the messages they see in media by creating media of their own

0 Articulate how the media you consume makes you feel about how the world functions and why it functions the way it does

0 Never settle for ideas, images or messages you think are negative or wrong about people, places or things

Conclusion

0Have sex or do not have sex, but be SAFE, COMMUNICATE and do not be pressured by MEDIA

0Be critical of MEDIA at all times, it can define you if you are not careful

0Create the MEDIA you want to see! Be your own author!

0Be proud that you are a WOMAN! Women are awewsome!