An Angry Private Pregnancy

This weekend I had a mass communications assignment to complete which involved choosing a television show that somehow impacted me, then survey ten of my peers, and take note of their opinions. It took a lot for me to figure out which show and episode to choose. I went through Boy Meets World, Girlfriends, and Grey's Anatomy. I was sure the last one would be perfect... Unfortunately Hulu failed me because they didn't have an episode posted that interested me enough for this assignment.

Then finally, Grey's lead me right to Private Practice as I remembered the spin-off aired an episode last week where two of the doctors' 14 or 15 year old daughter announced she was pregnant. The father (Taye Diggs) handled himself in a rather cool and calm manner while hardly displaying the frustration boiling inside him. His ex-wife, on the other hand, couldn't look at, let alone speak to her daughter. She grabs the child's arm, drags her into a different doctor's office and demands the doctor gives the girl an abortion against the child's will. And what is she to do after her daughter refuses (and rightfully so)? Well nothing else but strike her across the face of course.

This woman is against abortions herself for religious reasons and her occupation actually specializes in giving couples who may not otherwise have had a chance to reproduce, an opportunity to do so... Nor does she agree with striking children. But this same woman is willing to violate her moral standards and the same ones she has worked so diligently to try to instill in her own daughter without blinking. Someone with a "pro-choice" stance on abortion, suddenly throws all sense out of the window at the drop of a dime to suddenly become just another irrational black woman.

For shame. Do ABC writers really believe this is all it takes to break a strong black woman? And I'm not calling her strong because I necessarily prefer she be that way, rather because the series has consistently shown her weather storms time and time again while keeping her cool and holding the rest of the cast together as well.

Perhaps writers decided to finally venture down the road that doesn't include the "angry black man" by allowing Taye Diggs' character to remain level-headed. I must admit, they deserve some credit for leaving that stereotype alone. And for that, I applaud them. But I will not applaud (nor shout "encore!") for them writing into the script that the pregnant teenage girl nearly gets an abortion but changes her mind at the last minute only after seeing another woman give birth through all kinds of hell and pain, while the girl's mom says, "Is this what you want? Look at that!"... And the two see the result of a crying baby at the end, to which the daughter replies, "But look at that," as a twinkle shines in her eyes for the excitement of a baby.

That exact scene right there only reminded me of how excited I am that the Tyra Show has been cancelled. Why? Because on several episodes, Tyra Banks would have a panel of about 8 teenage girls who are either already pregnant on purpose or trying to do so. These girls are just as excited as the girl on Private Practice. Tyra interviews the girls, asks them several questions, but never once offers them any type of assistance... Like the counseling they so blatantly need for desiring to take on such a responsibility at such an immature age.

Once again... For shame.