“Latino teens have the highest rate of teen pregnancy and births among all racial/ethnic groups”, according to the results of a study released today.The survey- commissioned by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and the National Council of La Raza- concluded that the overall teen birth rate in the U.S. has grown for the first time in fourteen years.
In addition, the influence of parents on Latino teens is vital. Nearly half of Latino teens say parents most influence their decisions; far more than friends (14%), religious figures (3%) and the media (2%). But almost three-quarters say that parents send different messages on sex to sons compared to daughters. 49% say their parents have talked to them about contraception, thus explaining why most of those who don’t use birth control cited fear of their parents finding out.
The study comes on the heels of another analysis conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention out-of-wedlock birth rates have gone up, especially among Latinas. Silvia Henriquez- executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health- warned that the results shouldn’t be misconstrued to stigmatize single motherhood:
(…) we need to take this opportunity to call for greater economic support, health care access and education for all women, so that those wishing to be mothers can raise healthy and happy children, with or without the support of a spouse. Specifically we must remember that women still get paid less than men do for the same work and that women who are insured pay higher insurance premiums for health care coverage than men do. Both of these issues put single working mothers at a lower socio-economic status than women in two income households.Image- March of Dimes
Online Sources- New York Times, prnewswire.com
We need to show Latinas, at an early age, that they can be much, much more.
ReplyDeleteThat is what we are doing with www.HipChicas.com and that is why we are so passionate about our product.
Aspiration is not lacking. What is lacking is a self esteem due to generations of a narrative of weak Latinas paraded on TV in both English and Spanish language.
If we continue to sit at home watching women being treated as object on Sabado Gigante, then you should expect nothing less than teen pregnancies in society.
Until we have enough self esteem to turn off ridiculous depictions of Latina women and Latinos in general on TV, the radio or the internet, then we will continue to reep the fruit of what we sow.
Change the narrative. Be who you aspire to be, not who content developers project you to be.
Lazaro Fuentes
CEO
www.hipchicas.com
Parents should take this issue seriously. It is important to really get involved with our teen's life and guide them through proper sex education. Educators in schools also has a say on this issue. As a family and a community, we should be the first ones to educate our children of the difficulties and harms of early pregnancy.
ReplyDelete@Lazaro Fuentes...
ReplyDeleteHOWWWWWWWWW are girls being treated like objects on Sabado Gigante. show me where they are because yuuu are so wrong amigo porfavor crese!(: