Smart is Sexy
By Kimberley May Maurice

18 years old and pregnant with twins.

Stunned, I couldn't speak. I couldn't move as I heard the words spill forth gaily from her mouth. What to say?

Twins? Not only is she pregnant, but with twins. She is comforted by the hand of the father who, and I commend him for doing this, is still committed to her and will marry her. What saddens me is the things she won't let on, things that, whether she knows it now or not, will be an issue eventually. What about her future? No college. No job. So what happened to the equal opportunity laws she was greatly looking forward to taking advantage of? Gone.

What is happening to the young women today? We have a world of opportunity at our fingertips, but we're trapped. So many of us believe the lies that television feeds us. 'You must find a mate. You must be this height/ weight/ race in order to be noticed. Beautiful girls put out.' Says who? Girls! Open your eyes! Do you really think that all those powerful women not long ago, who fought endlessly for our freedom, and our rights, did it so you could sacrifice it all and be pregnant by the time you are 13, 14, 15, and even 18? Yes, even 18 is young these days to be having children (At least in North America).

So you want your freedom. Let me tell you something. Sex may appear to have freedom written all over it, but it doesn't. Does pregnancy mean freedom? No. It means the opposite.

I'm disturbed by the role models many young women have their eyes on these days. While I admit I love television, and movies, I also know that the images of women, and the promiscuity presented there, have become outrageous. Sexual freedom has gone overboard. We should be fighting for personal freedom, equal wages, unity of the sexes, and we are. But what good is our fighting if no one, or hardly anyone, is listening?

We, as women young and old (and men too) need to understand that the media, unfortunately, lies to us every day (with an over-abundance of no-consequence decisions), but we don't have to believe those lies. There is good in the media, but it's still full of crap. Be careful.

Girls! Young Women! You're better than this! Take care of yourselves! Don't read fashion magazines. It's true, they will only make you feel ugly. Be who you are, not who you think you should be, and don't sell yourself short.

If you are really in love with a guy, wait. Wait until you are married or at least until you are old enough to undertake the consequences of an accidental pregnancy. Get a job you love and shoot for the stars! We have so much opportunity these days, and it's only going to get better. Never EVER settle for second best.

Smart, educated, and strong…now THAT is sexy!

[Note: Try watching Dana Scully (X-Files) or Nikita instead of, or at least as well as, soap operas and shows like 'Friends' (which by the way I am a fan of, so I understand the draw). If possible, avoid shows that present women as sex objects (Baywatch for example). The two shows listed above feature powerful women in strong leading roles. Women who use their brainpower are the ones who make an impact on our world.]

Copyright ©2000 Kimberley May Maurice.

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