Friday, June 20, 2008

Hello? CBC? Is that you?

So CBC.ca published a story as part of their front page rotation with the wonderful title: “Pregnancy pact alarms officials at U.S. high school: reports”

**cue horror movie music**

According to “reports”, 18 teenagers in a school of 1,200 are pregnant. All of which are under 18 and at least one of them got pregnant by a 24 homeless man. The reason? Well according to “reports”, it’s because they made a pact to get pregnant and raise their children together.

Yes, the Canadian Broadcasting Channel “reported” this delicious story, based on “reports” that blamed the “pact” on such things as the “glamorizing [of] pregnancy with movies such as Juno and Knocked Up, plus Nickelodeon star Jamie Lynn Spears becoming a mother this week at age 17.”

Alright, first things first. This “pact” is quite possibly a rumour. No one has actually been able to “confirm” this so-called pact, but it sure does make a sensational headline.

Secondly, CBC’s “reports” are an article in Time Magazine.

Thirdly, if you’re going to go all parent-like on people and accuse Hollyweird of putting ideas in people’s heads, then get it right. Knocked Up was about a mid to late 20s, employed womyn getting pregnant. Not even close to being in the same category as Juno.

Fourthly, they spend most of the article essentially blaming Hollywood and then toss in the little line that is, in my opinion, the right one. “The U.S. has traditionally had the highest teen birth rate of all developed countries.” And you can thank the gagrule and the other great, Bush endorsed abstinence education people for that one.

And finally, this story also appeared on PerezHilton.com, Dlisted.com and FOX. Seriously CBC, get your shit together. I can’t recognize you under all your sensationalized, ass-pulling, made-up “news”.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Belated Birthday! Hope things are good with you!

Nathanyel said...

uhm... I could swear I left a really long comment on this entry... does it have to be approved by you first, or was it lost? :B

Feminist Catalyst said...

It is not stuck in moderation. Perhaps there was a hiccup?

Anonymous said...

Yeah I hate this story. It is likely just another part of the "OMG teens are having sex!!1!" hysteria. And honestly, while I am no proponent of teen pregnancy, these girls seem like they've made a decision based on their life choices- maybe at this point in their life having a child is their best option, as sad as it might seem. How fucking patronizing is it to imply they're doing it just because Jamie Lynn Spears did it?