MTV's 16 and Pregnant

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

This show is another example of many of these girls having to grow the hell up while many of these boys are enjoying their childishness under the guise of "boys will be boys." Some of these boys have said they no longer want anything to do with the girl and the baby--big surprise. Think about that, girls in #1 who want to get pregnant for this show.

Example, parental response to the same scenario:

Girl buys video games instead of baby supplies: You need to grow up and support your child instead of spending money on this.

Boy buys video games instead of baby supplies: Boys will be boys. He's just a kid.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Example, parental response to the same scenario:

Girl buys video games instead of baby supplies: You need to grow up and support your child instead of spending money on this.

Boy buys video games instead of baby supplies: Boys will be boys. He's just a kid.

And that type of gendered response follows us until the day we die.

One of the best qualitative research on gender and childrearing being social rather than biological are observational studies (or observing those you know) of stay-at-home or single-parent/full-time parent fathers. These men are doing what needs to be done to be primary caregivers (some of whom with deadbeat "baby mamas" who don't even pay child support) because they HAVE to do it. Not because of a biological predisposition towards nurturing OR being particularly excited about having to raise a child. These men are simply viewed as the exception rather than the rule because the majority of men don't have to be nurturers and childrearers.

Anyway, that's my 16 and Pregnant-related rant. More back-to-back episodes.