Staff Editorial

Pregnancy, wanted or unwanted, is a life-changing event. Indeed it is the pivotal point in someone’s lifetime.  Hollywood’s recent obsession with baby movies, like “Juno” and “Knocked Up,” causes us to ask whether Hollywood is making pregnancy seem hip, rather than issuing a caution against unwanted pregnancy.
Don’t get us wrong, the addition of a new life to the world is a beautiful event. But it can be devastating to the parents of the child, especially the mother, if she is young or unprepared for pregnancy. It is worrying that both movies tend to gloss over how tough the tough parts of pregnancy can be.
Especially in “Knocked Up,” the characters revel in their newfound situation, making zany jokes and hilarious situations out of a potentially very dangerous situation.
In the end, everything works out for the best, and the parents actually wind up in love. Beautiful. But how often does that happen? It is unrealistic to imagine that that scenario is likely, given the happenstance pregnancy.
Each movie makes sure that family members are almost universally supportive of their sons and daughters, another potentially unrealistic expectation. When Juno breaks the news to her parents, she meets familial support. Again glossing over the heartbreak which can result from unwanted pregnancy.
What’s worrying about these movies is that they feature A-List Hollywood stars having perfectly normal, easy pregnancies, acting as if it isn’t much more than an inconvenience.
The influence these people have over the public is huge. Teens may be inclined to think that pregnancy is not that big a deal. True, both movies attempt to highlight the issues associated with unplanned pregnancy, but both wind up glossing over the really tough issues.
While pregnancy can be a beautiful experience, it is also a harrowing one. Pregnancy should not be something that is considered hip, especially when the message is broadcast loudest to teens.