Stigma Dogma

I was responding to Kitty's last blogpost when I realised how long it had become (?!) and decided to give it its rightful little spot here, so here we go...

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As Kitty was saying... teen single mother pregnancies are suddenly becoming more common and dare we say it - more acceptable in the western world. The worry is that these high profile single moms are glamourising a predicament that may not be in the best interest of their impressionable teen fans.

This change in perception could just as easily transfer its way across to here in Asia... though luckily it hasn't so much.

Yet.

This could all change should we lose the stigma which is one of the barriers in our local context.
Once the taboo and stigma dissipates - we may end up seeing the same happening over time, with Asian teens taking a liberal stance on unplanned motherhood.

So stigma it seems... has a protective 'social' effect here.

But... stigma is a double-edged sword.

Those affected by unplanned pregnancies are undoubtedly condemned from the outset, ostracised even by the stigma. This then leaves such mothers with potentially little support, offering a bleak future for their innocent children, who are also treated unequal in many respects.

Poverty then ends up playing a big factor in these peoples' lives, with these women being unable to get any earnings, marrying suspect characters (sometimes repeatedly) out of desperate need to survive, being vulnerable to domestic abuse, getting involved in drugs and crime... dragging their family even further down a darkened path. Girls growing up in such poor circumstances would create a vicious cycle of producing even more unplanned pregnancies. *sigh* We don't want this to happen too do we? Very tricky issue...

I guess the more balanced approach would be to retain the stigma yet ensure that the needs of this particular community are looked after. Encouraging these women to continue their education after having their children instead of suspending them from school, for instance. Family support or external agencies to support with child-rearing should they wish to go on to work (domestic helper subsidies for instance).

The benefits would be that they retain their independence to some extent instead of living off long-term benefits and resorting to desperate measures. A higher income or standard of living would also hopefully be a protective barrier against even more unplanned pregnancies... and provide for a better environment for their children.

Most importantly, and looking further - sex education as a preventative measure for all teens generally, is the real winning strategy here. Knowing about self-value, the consequences of unprotected sex and unplanned pregnancies are effective deterrents - something that could be delivered from the school-age. I know that this is a controversial move especially 'contraception education'... considering it may indirectly infer that teenage sex is being condoned which understandably, clashes against our religious stance.

It's a tough call, and one thankfully I don't have to make... although, I still believe that the least we can do is offer sex education to schools in high-risk areas. A prudent measure, no doubt...

So what am I trying to say in the end about stigma and single mother pregnancies?

Tricky tricky thing, stigma is... That's all...