"It's hard, but it's worth it—that's what I think."
"If you have a baby, it’s not the end of the world, and you have to make the best decision for your kid. Don’t let it stop your dreams—just keep pursuing them." (5)
Conclusions
The Gloucester High School pact is an anomaly, and according to many psychologists has more to do with teens seeking peer support in defying social norms. According to Gracie Hsu of the Family Research Council, "contrary to the common perception that teenage sex and pregnancy typically stem from two teenagers getting caught up in the heat of the moment, new research reveals that many teenage girls are being sexually exploited and impregnated by adult men." That is a serious situation that needs to be addressed rather than shaming young victims.
Adoption is not a solution for teen pregnancy. According to Bernadette Wright, PhD and president of origins-USA, a national non profit that advocates for the rights pf mothers and keeping families together: “It merely exploits the situation to fill a demand for infants to adopt while creating lifelong grief, guilt and shame for mothers and feelings of abandonment and rejection for their children.”
(1) Teen Pregnancy Losing Stigma: Report, January 21, 2008, CityNews.ca Staff
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