Runkles' situation is a lot like mine was.
These students must sign a pledge signaling their commitment to “abstaining from sexual immorality.”
I also received a strictly abstinence-only education.
Natasha Vianna with her daughter, Nelly. Courtesy of Daniel Tyree
And when I got pregnant as a junior, I found myself facing a judgmental school system, too.
Unsure about how to proceed, I put off making a decision about my pregnancy for a few weeks.
Once I developed morning sickness, I decided to share the news of myhealthwith my school nurse.
Nelly with Wendy Davis, a former Texas state senator and former teen mom, at this year’s Civil Liberties and Public Policy Conference on April 8. At the conference, Nelly gave a speech about the challenges facing the children of teen parents in America today. Courtesy of the author
One conversation with a teacher stood out the most.
With a smile on her face, she pulled me into our school chapel to talk about my pregnancy.
Despite this being factual, I shook my head in disagreement.
Natasha and Nelly. Courtesy of the author
I went toPlanned Parenthoodthat weekend not knowing if I wanted to continue with my pregnancy or get an abortion.
I was able to separate judgment from reality and make a decision.
The administration tried to push me out of school.
They tried to turn my life into a cautionary tale.
The stigma of being a teen mom overwhelmed me.
But that rate is dropping.
The primary reason behind this drop isn’t thatfewer teens are having sex.
Instead, the report found that higher rates of contraceptive use are contributing to fewer teens accidentally getting pregnant.
Due to fear of judgment, I was too afraid to tell my doctor about mymental healthstruggles.
This fear also meant receiving subpar health care for my child when she was diagnosed with a health condition.
I know just how true this is.
But I realized that whether my school was Catholic or public, both sides used isolating, painful strategies.
People tried to make me believe I’d ruined my life by becoming pregnant in my teens.
Its just not true.
It’s entirely possible to be a teen mom and still be a happy, productive member of society.
So, in 2013, I collaborated with six young mothers from different parts of the country to createnoteenshame.org.
Our ultimate mission is to eradicate stigma from young peoplessexual and reproductive choices.
Its been nearly 12 years since I found myself pregnant in a Catholic high school.
We have a relationship that is based on trust and respect.
