Precisely, in scrutinizing Dr Drew’s ‘16 and Pregnant’ TV reality show in reference to episodes with Amber and her boy friend Gary, various levels as well as states of reality have been observed. In one particular episode Dr Drew shows where Amber realizes the support of her mom even though she moved out and was living some where else.It means that if a woman becomes pregnant at 16 it should be interpreted as disgrace and she should fell humiliated. This is communicated in the story. The social structure in which 16 year old girls operate within twenty-first century American culture is that they attend high school, pretend to practice abstinence, graduate , go to college, find a job and they are great girls ( Teen Mom)
Any deviation from that norm contains a label or classification, which pushes girls down the social ladder. Even when male partners do not live up to the script, do not support the pregnancy and even dropout of school they are not projected as being irresponsible in anyway. This culture is perceived in the same way as when a group of men brought a woman to Jesus reporting that she was caught in the act of committing adultery, but the men were exempt from any punishment (Holy Bible, 2011).
Reality has been defined differently by many schools of thought and disciplines over time. For some it is the philosophy of accepting the state at which things/ conditions exist. To others it is mixed with perception to bring about a personal reality distinct from the universal truth espoused as reality itself (Greenberg et.al 2004). Essentially, it could be concluded that everyone, every culture; every social structure and every ideal has its own reality.
Jennifer Potzner (2010) argues that Reality TV forges false identify which is not real for distinct groups in society. Many people leave the show feeling worse than before they entered the stage since hosts have their own reality to project to participants. She emphasizes particularly that it enforces conformity on the show to a reality which is non existent to the person interviewed. They are afraid to even answer many questions which would contradict their reality of who and what they represent. As such, a stage show reality is created for public television. (Potzner, 2010, p 100).
She continues to point towards gender profiling which occurs on Reality Television. Criticisms were fierce toward shows such as America’s Top Model; The Real world, Survivor; Flavor of Love and Rock of Love. Apart from humiliating some participants on the show she continues to explain more importantly Reality TV imposes certain cultures upon the viewing audience. Insidiously, this affects perceptions later on of the ones viewing. (Potzner, 2010, p.98)
Fortunately, Gary, in Dr Drew’s “16 and Pregnant” episode was portrayed as having a CNA license and a job. But Amber was highlighted as being so stupid and out of place because she was not confirming to a social script set by the show. Of course, she was there to have a reality check. Whose reality is this? Amber displayed such superb reality, so amazing to find that she did not care about standards of the show, to the utter dismay of those who encouraged her to appear.
Admirably, regardless of society’s disapproval of the action as being unrealistic Amber and Gary were shown visiting the library after school searching for the most appropriate name for their baby. Public opinion was a ‘wow!’ She should have been home taking care of home work assignments (Teen Mom).
Jenifer Potzner circulated four tropes in her work “Reality Bites Back.” Basically, they encompass women being catty, bitchy, manipulative, and deceptive. Importantly, they are stupid and incompetent, as Amber and finally gold diggers (Potzner, 2010). In analysis, the theme of this show in itself is very suggestive of gender profiling, ‘Sixteen and Pregnant.’ (Potzner, 2010, p. 127).
Obviously, boys do not become pregnant at sixteen. In fact they are not the ones to get pregnant, but girls. Two themes relating to the reality of womanhood, pregnancy and child birth is being communicated in these episodes and all episodes of, “16 and pregnant.” They are, it is wrong to get pregnant at 16yrs old and a woman ought to be ashamed of herself should this happen to her , her parents should carry the same guilt also. Whose reality this is?
Precisely, are these themes perpetuated real, generally, or they pertain only to the American culture? What is wrong with a woman becoming pregnant at sixteen? Is sixteen a label placed on our girls in this society? Why was it not fourteen; fifteen or twelve? Why sixteen? This is a reality check for the producers themselves to take.
The truth is that in adjacent cultures women leave school and begin working at sixteen; so what is disastrous about a woman becoming pregnant at sixteen. Her reproductive organs are quite matured to carry a fetus. So whose reality it is? It is pathetic that in this perceived developed society, women are subtly marginalized based on decisions regarding their own bodies.
Works cited
Greenberg, J., Koole, S. L, & Pyszczynski. Handbook of experimental existential
Psychology. Guilford. New York. 2004 Print
Holy Bible. American Bible Society. New York: 2011. Print
Potzner Jenifer. Reality Bites Back. Seal Press: New York. 2010. Print
“Teen Mom Amber and Gary." MTV. Web. 12th Nov 2011. http://www.mtv.com/videos/teen-
mom-season-2-interview-with-amber-gary/1648857/playlist.jhtml.
