15-Year-Old Girl Says Her Pregnancy Is Not 'Normal' But She's Not Going To 'Hide Under A Rock'
She refuses to see being a teen mom as the end of her life.
Karolina Grabowska / Pexels A major part of teenagers' daily lives occurs online. Gen Z' ers were raised with social media, so it’s not surprising that they share their inner worlds with a public they’ve never met.
A high schooler named Kylie has created a social media presence around one particular part of her life: She’s a soon-to-be teen mom.
The 15-year-old girl said that her pregnancy isn’t ‘normal,’ but she’s not going to hide it, either.
In a TikTok post, Kylie and her boyfriend, Eddie, responded to a comment that declared, “This is sad, don’t try to normalize it.”
Kylie responded with grace and candor, saying, “We’re not at all trying to normalize teen pregnancy. This definitely should not be normalized ‘cause it’s not normal.”
“We’re just making the best out of our situation,” Eddie interjected.
Kylie touched on her reason for documenting her pregnancy on TikTok, explaining, “We’re making a platform for other young girls who are going through the same thing to have some hope, and you know, their life isn’t over.”
She spoke directly to critics, saying, “I don’t know what you want me to do. I’m just sitting here, posting my life. I’m not gonna go hide under a rock because I got pregnant.”
Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels
In a 2022 report, the Center for Disease Control shared that the teen birth rate in the U.S. decreased by 3% from 2021, marking a record low for 15 to 19-year-olds. The CDC noted that the teen birth rate has declined every year since 1991, except for 2006 and 2007.
While teen pregnancy rates are lower in the U.S. than ever before, the CDC did mention the adverse effects teen moms experience, specifically noting that pregnancy and birth are major contributors to high school dropout rates.
About 50% of teen moms receive a high school diploma by age 22, while almost 90% of high school students who don’t give birth reach graduation.
Teen moms don’t need to be ridiculed or shamed. They need strong support networks and social programming to help them reach their goals and complete their education.
It’s hard to have a conversation about teen pregnancy without recognizing how the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has created a climate where women are being systematically denied bodily autonomy.
Photo: Julia M. Cameron / Pexels
The extremely limited access to birth control and abortions across the U.S. means that women have significantly less control over their bodies, their health outcomes, and their futures.
Kylie herself touched on the issue of choice when she responded to a follower who wondered if her pregnancy was planned.
“I did not want to get pregnant at my age,” she explained. “My daughter was not planned. I was not intentionally trying to get pregnant when I was doing those acts.”
The soon-to-be teen mom spoke openly and transparently about what she wished she’d done differently while acknowledging that her daughter "has been the biggest blessing."
“I wish I knew back then the things I know now so I could have shifted my life and my daughter’s life,” Kylie said. “I am still so young and there’s so much that I don’t have yet.”
Part of having bodily autonomy is the choice not only to terminate a pregnancy but to bring one to term, as well, and not be shamed for doing so — even at a young age.
Kylie’s decision to stay pregnant is directly tied to the issue of free and safe access to abortions: She made her choice. Other women should be able to make theirs, as well.
Kylie makes one thing very clear: Her life didn’t end when she got pregnant. She’s not going to deny her own reality or keep quiet about her journey. She’s going to share her experience in a vulnerable way so that other teen moms can feel less alone.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.