Jamie Lynn Spears is Pregnant
Zoey 101 Star's Real-life teen Pregnancy Supported by Pro-Lifers.
Dec 27, 2007
On December 18th Jamie Lynn Spears created shock waves in the US media by announcing in OK! Magazine that she was twelve weeks pregnant.
Spears, the younger sister of Britney, is 16 years old and is the star of the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101, where she plays Zoey, a squeaky clean, ‘perfect’ teenager. The show is currently showing its third season but the fourth has already been filmed, leaving Nickelodeon plenty of time to decide how to deal with Spears’ pregnancy. In the meantime, the company has announced that it plans to screen a special on love and sex aimed at the age group of the show’s audience.
Many of those who have chosen to comment on the pregnancy in the media have done so from a pro-life standpoint, apparently suggesting that although it was ‘bad’ of Jamie Lynn to get pregnant in the first place, she has redeemed herself somewhat by choosing to keep the baby.
Pro-life messages of support
US Magazine reported on December 22nd that the Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, who is also a Baptist minister and former governor of Arkansas, had praised Jamie Lynn Spears’ decision:
‘I think it is the right decision, a good decision, and I respect that and appreciate it,’ he said, adding ‘I hope it is not an encouragement to other 16-year-olds who think that is the best course of action.’
Christian News Wire reported a similar comment on December 21st from Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral associate of Priests for Life and niece of the late Dr Martin Luther King,
‘Jamie Lynn Spears deciding to keep her baby is but the latest in a series of life affirming examples we’ve seen in the media lately.’
Although Dr King, like Mike Huckabee, went on to add that this did not mean that teenagers should be pursuing sexual relationships she added ‘When we fall we should strive to do what’s best and what’s best is to do the loving thing.’
Abc News also carried a message of support for Jamie Lynn Spears from Lisa Wechel who played Blair in the TV show Facts of Life and has written several Christian family books: ‘I’m so proud of her for stepping up and being courageous and taking responsibility for her choices, and I believe she is being a good role model – a good role model in that situation, to choose to have the baby.’
A private issue becomes public
Whether teenaged motherhood would be such an appropriate decision for a girl less privileged, less mature less and financially secure than Jamie Lynn Spears has received less attention. The idea that Spears should be given her privacy during what is a very private and stressful time has also been rejected: her high profile and Zoey 101’s audience of nine to 14- year-olds mean that her pregnancy has become public property. Many parents have complained that they are now being forced to discuss matters such as pregnancy, sex and abortion with their children whether they feel ready or not.
Tracy Clark-Flory writing on Salon.com December 21st pointed out that the issue has become a debate on whether Jamie Lynn and girls like her is ‘good’ or ‘bad’: ‘There are some dangerous assumptions being made here, namely that having sex at 16 makes you unclean, a fallen angel, and that contraception never fails.’
