Arts and Entertainment
Did you know that a Kaiser Family Foundation study entitled “Kids and Media at The New Millennium” states that American youth spend 38 hours each week in “unsupervised television viewing.” How often do you think these youth make decisions that are influenced by what they have seen on television?
However, what is depicted “on screen” can play out differently in real life. And these real life lessons are not often publicized enough to compete with what is neatly packaged into a movie or television program.
Many movies deal with the issue of an unplanned pregnancy, but they don’t always offer a clear understanding of the long-term effects that arise because of the character’s choices. A few years ago in the movie, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” one young girl, in an attempt to gain attention from the high school “stud,” ends up pregnant and having an abortion. The movie doesn’t show any counseling for her or expose the possible risk involved. The movie shows the girl going through some depression following the abortion, but it fails to depict the long-term effects of her abortion nor does it present the possibility that the abortion may have been a wrong decision.
More recently, the movie “Bella” portrays a man dealing with the aftermath of an abortion that he was involved in as he tries to help a female friend not make the same decision. Another film, “Juno” is about a sixteen-year-old girl that has a one-time sexual relationship with a friend and becomes pregnant. After contemplating abortion, she decides to work out an adoption plan.
There are some that attempt to use art as a means to communicate their view of abortion. A Yale art student conducted artificial inseminations and carried out what she characterized as self-induced miscarriage procedures, videotaped it and called it art. According to Yale Daily News, she stated that her goal in creating the art exhibition was to spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body. Click here to read the full story.
Situations depicted in movies, television and other forms of art are very real today. Here are a few quotes from those in the arts and entertainment industry stating their opinion of abortion.
“I had an abortion at 17 and it was the worst thing I ever did. I would never recommend it to anyone because it comes back to haunt you.”
Sharon Osborne
London Daily Mail, December 18, 2004
“I was sleeping with a lot of guys and had more abortions than I would like to count.”
Sherri Shepherd of The View
Precious Times magazine, July 2008
“I had an abortion and paid for it all my life until I healed and am now able to help other women…I was told a lie from the pit of hell—that my baby was just a blob of tissue.”
Jennifer O’Neill, former Cover Girl cosmetics spokeswoman and actress
www.womendeservebetter.com
“God is the only One who knows how many children we should have, and we should be ready to accept them. One can’t decide for oneself who comes into this world and who doesn’t. That decision doesn’t belong to us.”
Mel Gibson, actor
Barbara Walter’s Special, 1990
“If you’re pregnant, don’t compound the problem by seeking an abortion. Getting an abortion doesn’t solve anything. You are much better off in that situation to put the baby up for adoption because you might be able to help a couple that can’t have children.”
Lakita Garth, 1995 Miss Black California
www.LoveMatters.com
“The tragedy of abortion haunts women from all walks of life. Abortion advocates are spending millions to package their tired rhetoric and half-truths in cutting-edge advertising campaigns targeted to young women…The early feminists were pro-life. And really, abortion is a huge disservice to women, and it hasn’t been presented that way.”
Patricia Heaton, actress
www.feministsforlife.org