Ashlee Reece

The focus of this blog is going to be based on chapter 2 (bastardy).  I found a lot of interesting facts in this chapter.  For instance, the fact that people think that the solution for teenage pregnancy now is the same as they thought back then, qualifications for parenting, laws that allowed women to be punished for having a child out of wedlock (filius nullius), and the shift of opinion on the teen pregnancy issue.  When a teenage girl is pregnant, the first thing associated with her is shame, sin, and poverty.  These associations date back to the times of colonial america. ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/beccacc/3216874170/ )  According to our textbook some of the assumptions are true such as the fact that her child will have fewer resources than that of a married couple and so on.  However, people have grown custom to assuming that these young girls can marry all of their troubles away.  In so many words the question that Kristen Luker poses in our text book is would the "ideal solution" be good enough?  The truth is that it wouldn't.  It would make a few slight changes in the lives of those girls who give birth at early ages.  Another point that was exposed in the book is the fact that society may not be concerned about the age of first time mothers as much as they are about their marital status and qualifications for parenting (16).  Society usually considers you "fit for parenthood" when you have the finances, spouse, and eduaction to raise one.  In my opinion, it's this type of logic that defames society's credibility.  Years ago it didn't matter how old you were when you had children, in fact people set up arranged marriages at ages early as 15.  The important thing back then is that you were married.  It was the married vs. unmarried and that's all that mattered.  It seems as if society changes their mind about who is qualified enough to have children w/ every generation.  Lastly, on page seventeen Kristen talks aout a common woman names Agnes Taylor in Maryland who was to be given twelve lashes for having a child out of wedlock.  It was mentioned that the same punishment went for men and women, but usually the woman was held more responsible due to her visible connection with the child.  Where was the father?  Why didn't he recieve these lashes as well since it takes two people to plant and fertilize this seed?  It was said that since the men owned property, they were usually fined.  This same idea takes placce today.  The idea that since the child is bound t the woman, that she has more responsibility for the child than his own father.  In episodes of "16 & Pregnant", this is apparent also.  The girls are the protagonist of the show and also the ones that tend to "learn their lesson" from having a child so young.