Teenage Pregnancy is one of the most distressing problems that are prevalent in the United States. Statistics show that without a doubt, teenage pregnancy should be a national concern, not only because four out of ten women are bound to get pregnant before they even reach the age of twenty. Rather, it is because of the fact that teenage pregnancy has various adverse effects not only among the individuals involved, but also on the whole country as well.
Gaining attention through the use of popular media…
Various non-government organizations (NGOs) and government agencies have sought for various ways to significantly decrease the number of teenagers aged 19 and below. According to recent studies however, the most effective way to deliberately reduce the teenage pregnancy rate is through sex education through songs about teenage pregnancy.
Teenagers who have risky behaviors that are associated with the susceptibility to early pregnancy should be subjected to various education programs that increase awareness on the effects of this problem. Aside from regular lectures and discussions, most advocacy groups have tried to make use of the popular media in order to promote awareness. Among the most effective measures is through the use of songs about teenage pregnancy.
Why songs are effective mediums
Mass media allows one to promote ideologies, popularize a certain concept, and somehow dictate the trends and styles that will be prominent in the society. That is why studies show that programs that aim to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy should incorporate the use of popular media – primarily that of songs and music.
Songs about teenage pregnancy are effective mediums that can be used by advocacy groups. The efficiency stems from the fact that the youth of today are very fond of music in various genres – from hip hop to rap and from indie to country.
Some common examples
Sex education can be implemented through the use of songs. Among the most popular songs about teenage pregnancy is “There Goes My Life”, which was sung during the inauguration of George Bush. This is a modern country song which shows the situation of young teenagers who were obliged to raise a kid although they were still “kids”.
Other popular songs are “Brenda’s Got a Baby”, “In the Ghetto”, “Sally’s Pigeons”, “Papa Don’t Preach” and “Baby Mama”. These songs focused on the various effects of teenage pregnancy such as abuse, poverty, and abortion. Most describe the difficulty of raising a child at a very young age where the parents are still financially unstable and in need of family support. GP