By Alicia Ygarza –
Many new things have been happening to Penn Manor senior Jordan Howard. She’s had a baby, and she’s had her own feature on the MTV Documentary Series, 16 and Pregnant.
It will premiere tonight at 10 p.m.
“My family knew I was pregnant before I did, I was in denial. I was showing, and was having mood swings,” said Howard.
16 and Pregnant records teens for five to seven months, as they experience their first pregnancy.
The teens experience tough times through adoptions, family arguments, and breakups.
Howard said her pregnancy was “stressful, not enjoyable.”
She said, “I wish I wouldn’t have had sex. My advice to other teens is don’t have sex.”
However, sometimes those troubles were not caused from Howard and her family.
Howard said the staff of MTV that was filming her were instigators.
“There was one time when Tyler bought a crib and put it in my mom’s house,” recalled Howard. “My director told me that I should go get what’s mine, stealing the crib out of my mom’s house was the biggest thing he conned me into.”
“According to a new public opinion poll of 1,000 young people (ages 12-19), commissioned by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, shows teens think programs dealing with teen pregnancy make teens think about their own risks of getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy, and how to prevent it.
Additionally, 82 percent of young people who watch 16 and Pregnant believe that the show helps young people better understand the challenges of pregnancy and parenting,” states www.thefutoncritic.com.
Howard’s son Chase was born May 31, 2011, he’s now 10 months old.
Howard is African American, and her baby’s father, Tyler Zeplin, is white, which seems like a controversy the show plans to play up, according to the trailer.
The couple has had their differences in the past year.
An online document shows that Howard and Zeplin had a court hearing, entitled Jordan Howard Vs Tyler Zeplin. The issue was protection from abuse, and Howard was the plaintiff while Zeplin was the defendant.
Millions will be watching Tuesday’s episode, but Howard said she will not be, and she did not enjoy the experience at all.
“I wish it wouldn’t air, I didn’t even tell anybody about the show. I signed up because we got reimbursed,” said Howard.
She declined to say how much money she received for being on the show but a report on the Huffington Post said the show pays the girls $5,000 and then provides opportunities for interviews which can pay between $1,000 and $2,000 per interview.
“I actually didn’t sign up until I was 36 weeks (pregnant),” said Howard. “I don’t know how other girls signed up but I sent in a picture and a sentence. I would never do it again.”
Besides appearing on the show, Howard said she may be on magazines and possibly Teen Mom, the sequel show to 16 and pregnant.
Howard and Zeplin have patched up their differences now that taping for the show is over.
Nowadays, the couple seems to be happy as they continue to post pictures of themselves together on their individual Facebook pages.
In fact, the couple is engaged, and they have been for three months.
“We were able to set aside our differences to co-parent,” said Howard.
If Chase doesn’t have his parents living together just yet, he still has Howard’s family.
“I have too much support from my family, sometimes everyone wants to take care of Chase even when I’m taking care of him,” said Howard.
Why is this being celebrated? It’s no wonder our youth act the way they do. Teenage pregnancy is accepted if not celebrated. When I was in school you were an outcast if you got pregnant.
Why did you refer to blacks as being African-American, while whites not being Caucasian, but white?
@Jamie Why do you think this show celebrates teen pregnancy? I think the show is an excellent cautionary tale. It actually highlights many of the struggles that these young parents and their families go through. In fact, teen pregnancy rates in the US has dropped dramatically since 16 and Pregnant has been on tv. This has been documented by studies that you can look up if you don’t believe me. Shaming and outcasting these girls does not have a positive effect, rather it reduces opportunities to obtain education and much needed financial and phychological support for raising the child, compounding the struggles the mothers already face. The show has been effective in reducing teen pregnancy because, as Dr. Drew pointed out on his show on HLN, teens teaching their peers about the harsh realities of teen pregnancy is the most effective way to encourage prevention. If you actually watch an episode, it will leave you wanting to take every precaution to not let it happen to you!
16 and pregnant is one thing but Teen Mom is an whole other story. Those girls get paid a lot of money, thus their situation has nothing to do with “reality”, which is endless financial struggle. I agree with Jamie, these shows need to stop, as young girls may want to get pregnant just to get on this show and get their 15 minutes of fame! Whatever happened to taking birth control or having an abortion? What is o.k. About destroying your life and that of an innocent young child that most likely will grow up without opportunities? Glamourizing teen pregnancy is a symptom of the return of sexism, look at shows like 19 kids and counting, Kate plus 8, say yes to the dress, toddlers and tiara’s, pregnant in heels, the list goes on and on. Think about it, all we see these days on television are women obsessed with weddings, babies, and their appearance. Let’s hope the fourth feminist wave comes soon, cause I am fed up with this subtle, yet pervasive attempt to get women back into the kitchen. And a baby is not an iPad, it’s not an accessory!!!
So she didn’t enjoy being filmed, wishes the episode wouldn’t air, and would never do it again… yet she says she may still be on Teen Mom? What a great plan!