Pregnancy: Social Stigma and the Norms of Society

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Compare and Contrast Essay- Pregnant at Prom: My Life as a Teen Mom by Kirstin Fitzgerald and Shunned by Meredith Hall
Undergoing pregnancy is undoubtedly a difficult experience. The social stigma and the norms of society are challenged, as well as the expecting mothers. Morality and the talk of life is at the core of this as the people who experience it are subject to various judgment and perspective by the community. However, it is the people around them and the approach, that makes it a positive or negative experience. People are social creatures that need the attention and support of other people. Social norms dictate the general outlook on such an experience. Generational beliefs is also a large factor. In these two stories that we examine, we can see the difference of the two women’s experience. One was supported and loved by few, and the other, shunned by all. Love can make a difference. Acceptance and support and empathy can make the experience worthwhile, and with purpose.
A similar theme in the two stories is their Christian background. Both belonged to a church, and lived well in a religious community. This kind of background is the source of judgment and discrimination. Because of dogma, people become susceptible to keeping order and comfort. Everything that are not within the norm are deemed as bad. Because of this, the community is easily divided, such that a case of pregnancy reaps judgment and negative ideas among the Christian communities. But, the presence of understanding and loving people in their lives can change their outlook upon their own life.
In the story Pregnant at Prom: My Life as a Teen Mom by Kirstin Fitzgerald, the author shared her initial negative experience from being pregnant. She was initially hopeless and angry, as she was discriminated by her peers. However, because of the support from her mother and a few friends, she was able to muster courage a...