History Headscratchers / TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager

* Anyone else but me a little bit off that the show seems to be trying to say that people who have a baby together need to be married, no matter how young they are? I mean Amy and Ricky are married and this is treated as a good thing!? Also this is the second time high-schoolers have been married. What the fuck is wrong with this show?
** You really want that question answered? We might be here a while. The writers obviously don't have kids of their own and possibly have never seen teenagers interact in real life, because teens are, believe it or not, more responsible than portrayed in the show, provided that they're given access to the proper resources. I was fifteen when this show finally got out of development hell, and everyone in my school who knew what was going on in the show was - to put it mildly - offended by how teens were portrayed. Teens are dumb, but not THAT dumb, for chrissakes. If anything, it comes off as {{confirmation bias}}-based bullcrap.

* It bugs me that this is played as shocking to everyone. To her parents? Yes, it's very realistic they'd be shocked. Her friends? Considering Amy's personality, I can understand their shock. Some of her teachers? Again, yes. However, everyone seems shocked. People who don't even know her are shocked. I grew up in a small, conservative town that prided itself on being a bible-belt town. Teenagers got pregnant every year, some younger than Amy. Sometimes, a girl everyone thought was a goody-goody or too smart to screw up got pregnant and people were surprised. However, most of the time, someone being pregnant was gossip for half a day and it was along the lines of, 'I heard she's hoping for a boy/girl', rather than, 'Omigod, we have a pregnant girl in school!'

** And what about the morning after pill? It's like it don't even exist! At least Adrian should have heard of it.
** The whole show seems to be geared towards the simple view that teens are uncontrollable idiots who simply stick their sex organs wherever they can, and sends the message that sex is bad and abstention is the only non-evil option that won't leave you with a kid. Putting in resources like Planned Parenthood or the morning-after pill would take away from that message.

*** All of this. Even if Planned Parenthood and the morning after pill exist, in this universe if you use either resource you will likely die and have no one come to your funeral because you considered not keeping the kid, and you deserve to be punished. You have to keep the child even if your not ready to be a parent. But that’s ok if your an awful person you can make everyone else bend over backwards while you do nothing. However if your a decent person who tries to raise their kid, help your parents who agreed to raise them until you finish school or decide give the baby up for adoption because despite you trying your best and having help you can’t handle being a teen parent, then you or your baby or your parents will die, especially if your still a decent person after the baby pops out.

** I think that's geared more towards abortion. The characters can't even utter the word without fear of the earth ending or something! If you even ''think'' about abortion or utter the word, you're a monster. Case in point- Adrian and her dad.

** The gay couple changed their minds and said they would fight for their original fosters kids--poor John.

** If I was him I’d say “No Amy your not an adult, you are still a teenager even though you have a child. You are staying home with John tonight in my house where you are both safe while your mother, sister and I go out for ice cream because we need a break from you.”
** Although boarding school works too

** Well... you can applied 'personal choice' to a man's right not to have the role of father just as easily as you can to Adrian's right not to be a mother. Either way it's most likely that they knew he was as about as likely to up and leave them and she was in actually having the [[GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion abortion]].


* Amy telling her friends that she 'didn't know it was sex till it was too late', um what? she does know what sex is right? and did know what she was doing and consented to it, [[ChildByRape right]]?

*** It would had been a saved throw if she would had gone with I initially understood, that she didn't understood he was climaxing inside her until it was too late, but no, they made it so it wasn't even that, like you said, she's just trying not to take the blame even for consensual sex.
*** Granted I have never watched this show but that sounds more like she just thought they were making out and got so into it that by the time she realized that they were taking off their clothes she didn't really think to object. Is this considered rape or not because if this happened then clearly she didn't fight it but it does seem like she wasn't really sure where he was going with this.

*** So how the hell did she not know what was happening? he gave hints, even gave her a chance to leave (another reason why I hate this show trying to make us feel sympathetic for him for some reason) and she stayed, she should had known full well the situation.

* Just Say Me. How is it that these girls get to live to be 16 years old before finding out about masturbation from none other than their christian friend? Some of them seemed to know what it was about but still acted like it would be somehow weird, shameful and disgusting. And why are the guys surprised that girls do it too? Or is this a culture thing, are American teens really that clueless?

** This is a Secret Life thing in the real world most people masturbate, some might feel guilt if they are young (which will pass) and some people don’t like doing it at any age because of many reasons, but if you do it then it’s perfectly safe, of course we can’t have that on this show so we got ‘that episode’.

** Let me elaborate on that, they're underage teenagers (not even under 21 but under 18!) they are still very dependable, they don't have a full time or well paying part time job, do I need to keep pointing things out? I mean the first thing is that who the hell wants to marry someone so young? They had a kid and didn't do it then, so that reason is out.

* What on earth was supposed to be funny about Grace nearly getting raped?! I think someone praying and defending them self is a fairly reasonable response being potentially "violated". Did they have something against people defending themselves against rapists? Its bad enough that her friends and classmates laughed at her, (even Jack her boyfriend at the time was more like "I told you so" than being concerned about his girlfriend). Its out right insane that even the newscasters treat it like a joke. The behavior of the newscasters was more like Tom and Diane from Family Guy than like professionals.

** You really want that question answered? We might be here a while. The writers obviously don't have kids of their own and possibly have never seen teenagers interact in real life, because teens are, believe it or not, more responsible than portrayed in the show, provided that they're given access to the proper resources. I was fifteen when this show finally got out of development hell, and everyone in my school who knew what was going on in the show was - to put it mildly - offended by how teens were portrayed. Teens are dumb, but not THAT dumb, for chrissakes. If anything, it comes off as confirmation bias-based bullcrap.

* Why is everyone up in everyone else's business on this show? I know that small towns and communities like these tend to close-knit and all, [[UpToEleven but they take it too damn far]]. And in a recent episode, when Grace's step-dad tries to suggest that maybe she focus on her own life (medical school) instead of Adrian's (her decision to have an abortion) and she rejects this with a flat "Because I don't want to" when asked why, I managed to facepalm so hard that a knot formed on my head. It goes beyond excessive gossip and nosy behavior, it's the fact that these characters seem to have no interest in their own lives.

** If I was him (or myself, who back then was actually in high school) he/I’d say “No Amy your not an adult, you are still a teenage girl even with a child. You are also not responsible at all so you are staying home with John where you both are safe while your mother, sister and I go out for ice cream because we need a break from you.”

* Amy telling her friends that 'didn't know it was sex till it was too late', um what? she does know what sex is right? and did know what she was doing and consented to it, [[ChildByRape right]]?

** Once again, check Hampton's other show ''Series/SeventhHeaven'', since none of the characters from that show never heard of the word "boundaries" since sneaking into everyone else's business there was an OnceAnEpisode event.

** You really want that question answered? We might be here a while. The writers obviously don't have kids of their own and possibly have never seen teenagers interact in real life, because teens are, believe it or not, more responsible than portrayed in the show, provided that they're given access to the proper resources. I was fifteen when this show finally got out of development hell, and everyone in my school who knew what was going on in the show was - to put it mildly - offended by how teens were portrayed. Teens are dumb, but not THAT dumb, for chrissakes. If anything, it comes off as confirmation bias-based bullcrap.

** And what about the morning after pill ? It's like it don't even exist ! At least Adrian should have heard of it.

* Why aren't Adrian and her mom more pissed off about the fact that Rueben was willing to walk out on them both if Adrian went through with the abortion? Personal opinions and beliefs about abortion aside, that's his ''family''. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised, given he walked out on his other family to be with Adrian and her mom.
** Well... you can applied 'personal choice' to a man's right not to have the role of father just as easily as you can to Adrain's right not to be a mother. Either way it's most likely that they knew he was as about as likely to up and leave them and she was in actually having the [[GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion abortion]].

** You really want that question answered? We might be here a while. The writers obviously don't have kids of their own and possibly have never seen teenagers interact in real life, because teens are, believe it or not, more responsible than portrayed in the show, provided that they're given access to the proper resources. I was fifteen when this show finally got out of development hell, and everyone in my school who knew what was going on in the show was - to put it mildly - offended by how teens were portrayed. Teens are dumb, but not THAT dumb, for chrissakes. If anything, it comes off as confirmation bias-based bullcrap.

** I've been taught never to hit women, but I think my parents would smack my daughter across the face faster than me if she ever said that, I think the police officer would deliverable drop the charged once he had heard that part of the story if she filed a complain.

** Let me elaborate on that, they're underage teenagers (not even under 21 but under 18!) they are still very dependable, they don't have a full time or well paying part time job, do I need to keep pointing things out? I mean the first thing is that who the hell wants to marry someone so young? they had a kid and didn't do it then, so that reason is out.

* What on earth was supposed to be funny about Grace nearly getting raped?! I think someone praying and defending them self is a fairly reasonable response being potentially "violated". Did they have something against people defending themselves against rapists? Its bad enough that her friends and classmates laughed at her, (even Jack her boyfriend at the time was more like "I told you so" than being concerned about his girlfriend). Its out right insane that even the newscasters treat it
like a joke. The behavior of the newscasters was more like Tom and Diane from Family Guy than like professionals.

** Because every male is an idiot in this series, what really bugged me is that they actually didn't send the message they said they were gonna give, the girls try it everyday for a week and at the fifth day they are so bored with it they don't even try anymore, kinda giving girl viewer the idea that sex is the only option since masturbation is a dull experience.

* Anyone else but me a little bit off that the show seems to be trying to say that people who have a baby together need to be married, no matter how young they are? I mean Amy and Ricky are married and this is treated as a good thing!? Also this is the second time high-schoolers have been married. What the fuck is wrong with this show?

** I think that's geared more towards abortion. The characters can't even utter the word without fear of the earth ending or something! If you even ''think'' about abortion or utter the word, you qualify as a {{Complete Monster}}. Case in point- Adrian and her dad.

* Amy's spiel about "I deserve to go out tonight because I'm a responsible adult! I have my own child!". Even if her father wasn't an idiot, this is pretty much the stupidest thing she could've said. At this point I think her parents should have her sent to an all-girls boarding school.

* What on earth was supposed to be funny about Grace nearly getting raped?! I think someone praying and defending them self is a fairly reasonable response being potentially "violated". Did they have something against people defending themselves against rapists? Its bad enough that her friends and classmates laughed at her, (even Jack her boyfriend at the time was more like "I told you so" than being concerned about his girlfriend). Its out right insane that even the newscasters treat it like a joke. The behavior of the newscasters was more like Tom and Diane from Family Guy than like professionals.

* Why is everyone up in everyone else's business on this show? I know that small towns and communities like these tend to close-knit and all, but they take it [[BeyondTheImpossible too damn far.]] And in a recent episode, when Grace's step-dad tries to suggest that maybe she focus on her own life (medical school) instead of Adrian's (her decision to have an abortion) and she rejects this with a flat "Because I don't want to" when asked why, I managed to facepalm so hard that a knot formed on my head. It goes beyond excessive gossip and nosy behavior, it's the fact that these characters seem to have no interest in their own lives.

* Why on earth did was supposed to be funny about Grace nearly getting raped?! I think someone praying and defending them self is a fairly reasonable response being potentially "violated". Did they have something against people defending themselves against rapists? Its bad enough that her friends and classmates laughed at her, (even Jack her boyfriend at the time was more like "I told you so" than being concerned about his girlfriend). Its out right insane that even the newscasters treat it like a joke. The behavior of the newscasters was more like Tom and Diane from Family Guy than like professionals.

* Ok it's been addressed several times but not fully in here, or at least some of you don't grasp the full scale of the situation. I think the idea was to make Adrian the slut, a role not unheard of before and actually pretty common, but I don't know what the author's idea of a slut is, I mean she is not a slut, she is a NYMPHOMANIAC! she literally thinks about '''nothing''' but sex, she wants to get it on literally with everyone that has a penis, no matter how young, old, ugly, sane or whatever, I mean seriously who in the hell gets turn on and tries to flirt with their gynecologist like that, does her pussy gets wet upon exposure to oxygen or something? take all the complains about her character that have been pointed out here, and see how a person like that can't be mentally healthy, I mean there is a limit, but it's like her mind works in a way where it gives slight moments of different thoughts and ideas to live like breathing, eating, talking, etc. but everything else is sex, who to have it, when to have it, how long to have it. I can only think that she is smart because she managed to remember the answers by thinking of them as innuendos, mmmmmn that big, erect, light house was used to avoid those big long ships filled with salty long sardines by letting out all that white white light.

%%Rememebr, Headscratchers is not for complaining or reviewing.

* Okay, [[CaptHayfever I]] can sort of understand Brenda Hampton being allowed to continue working in television, as 7th Heaven did make a lot of money, but the title of this show bugs the heck out of me. There's '''[=NOTHING SECRET ABOUT THIS STUFF ANYMORE=]''', not since the films like ''Thirteen'' or ''{{Juno}}''...or even ''[[SeventhHeaven Sev-Hev]]'' itself! People '''know''' it happens now, and anyone who doesn't probably doesn't have cable, so they can't watch this show anyway. Teenage promiscuity isn't exclusive to {{Eagleland}} either.
** Agreed. Seeing promos for the show and then seeing the title made me realize this show would be badly out of touch with reality.
** I'm convinced that this show was written by someone who somehow managed to pull off some manner of TimeSkip and forgo their teenage years altogether. And ''then'' hid in a bomb shelter somewhere for the better part of the last twenty years -- possibly frightened that the teenagers were coming to get them. The whole thing is somehow condescending, contemptuous and simperingly pious all at once.
** The title is made even more irritating by the fact that absolutely NOTHING about any of the teenager's lives on this show is a secret - from ANYONE!
** Supposedly, the show was originally supposed to be named "The ''Sex'' Life of the American Teenager," but, when you google that name, internet porn pops up.

* NONONONONONONONONO god''dammit'' just when I thought it couldn't get worse. I knew - ''knew'' - that Adrian was gonna get talked out of the abortion, but it wasn't just that her own father acted as though she should have a baby out of wedlock that Adrian wouldn't be prepared for ''despite'' Adrian having other plans (lawyer? Bah, be an unmarried teen mom instead!). No, it was the fact that Ricky's mom had to essentially talk her out of it despite insisting to ''everyone'' that she didn't, in fact, talk Adrian out of it. (She did.)
** Considering Adrian had been billed as the "bad" girl, it's surprising that the show didn't have her go through with the abortion. Of course, we all knew it couldn't happen. Thanks, Brenda Hampton, now even more pregnant teenagers will keep their babies because television told them it was ok. So much for "getting" today's teenagers.
*** And another, "'''[=GOD FUCKING DAMMIT=]'''," for good measure.
*** I'll add mine as well. Pardon me while I go to my roof and yell it at the top of my lungs ... okay, I'm back. What really gets me is how the show is probably going to try and spin this as some sort of CharacterDevelopment on Adrian's part. You [[BadassDecay know]] [[{{Chickification}} what]] [[StayInTheKitchen I mean]]. She'll probably even drop her dreams of being an attorney. Even worse: it won't be too long before they do the same thing to Ashley. It ain't a question of ''if'', just a matter of time. The only question is whether or not Brenda Hampton will be stupid enough try to [[BreakTheHaughty break]] Ashley with an unplanned pregnancy or if she'll ''finally'' give it a rest with the teen mother bit. Either way, it's at that point that I'll finally stop bothering with this show, because Ashley's the only character that doesn't make me want to shoot a hole in my TV.

* The show's message has become "If you have sex, you will ruin your life." No one has a healthy sexual relationship. I'm sorry, but it is possible in high school. Most kids are too dumb to handle it right, but it does happen. And even if it turns out not to be, their lives don't end because of it. And there aren't magic pregnancy bullets that hit every girl the first time. It happens, yeah, but the rate of teen pregnancy versus teen sex is very small. The show just seems to try to warn girls that if they let a guy get them even once they'll have to have a brat.
** And on that topic, I can't stand seeing that kid used as a prop. Amy is not a mother. She has no relationship or bond with her child and he's only around when it's plot relevant. The rest of the time, you would think Amy was a normal teenager since there was only a ''single'' episode where she didn't get to do whatever the ''fuck'' she wanted and the kid was just brushed aside. They might as well have cast a potted plant as John.

* Is anyone else ''ridiculously'' bothered by the idea of the show suddenly being all MARRIAGE MARRIAGE MARRIAGE? The whole Ben/Adrian marriage thing just seemed to come out of nowhere, to be honest, especially the way it seemed like it was being outright ''forced'' on them (i.e. through Adrian's parents meeting up with Ben at that place before he met Adrian, who didn't seem too thrilled with the idea herself until he proposed). And now they'll be getting their own place together at 17. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned but ''holy shit'' this weirds me out with them being so young.
** well they burned out sex and pregnancy, guess marriage is the new thing, but I'm 18 and I love how even though I'm on my second year of college and have a part time job don't have enough to support myself, but two high schoolers apparently can.
** A Troper is weirded out? This site we talk about incest, rape, homosexuality, fetishes and what not and you think it weird that they actually ''get married'' below 18? Teenagers are physical adults; ask a doctor. Some are even psychologically so and a lot more mature then many college age and older. Some teenagers have been capable of sailing round the world alone. ''I'm'' old fashioned and there is no "maybe" about it but I think this modern obsession with chronology with regard to sex is just plain weird considering all the other sexual oddities we try to normalize today. I equally think it odd that teenage marriage is considered weird but teenage debauchery is not.
*** It's not so much their age that is troubling. Like you said, some teens are mature enough to handle life on their own. Some teens are adults in their minds and perfectly ready to accept the responsibilities that come with mature relationships. The teen on this show ARE NOT. They are nowhere near mature enough; it's not us finding them getting married weird. It's us finding them getting married when it's so obviously a terrible decision weird.
* This show is constantly being treated like it's SUCH a realistic depiction of teen pregnancy and motherhood, but... It's basically just another TeenDrama that focuses on shallow relationships. Amy never really has that many struggles actually related to being a mother, her life is as normal as if she didn't have the kid, so why is the pregnancy/parenthood constantly being touted as the focus of the show?