Sense and Sexuality: From Teen to Teen Mom: Redefining the Label

AbstractAfter becoming a teen mom my senior year, I worked my way through college while being a mom, wife, student, and worker. Throughout my studies and life experience, I realized that there was a lack of teen parent literature, for or by teen parents, and a lack of teen parents being open about their experiences, good or bad. At that point, I realized that I needed to complete my memoir about teen sexuality and being a teenage mom.The memoir exposes my journey from eighth grade, when I was first exposed to the idea of sex, and concludes with me now, a twenty-six year old wife, parent of two, and college graduate who is working as a teacher and writer. Throughout my memoir I open up about being a teenager in love and how my mature emotions transform into having to make mature decisions. The mixed emotions I experience are complex, and I am forced to handle them without always having the life experience or knowledge necessary. Important private moments are revealed in hopes of getting my message across to adults and teenagers.One goal of writing this memoir is to increase awareness about the prevalence of sex and sexuality among teens. The solution set forth is that communication between adults and teens needs to be more open; teens need to know their options when it comes to sex and safety. Another goal is to show that teen parents need to be active in attaining their success; success does not just happen.Struggles and perseverance combine to offer one, not so rare, account of a smart girl‟s decisions pertaining to sex and sexuality and the repercussions.

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Smith, Katie Louise

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Palwick, Susan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Keniston, Ann
• Black, Lisa

• Coming of Age
• Memoir
• Sexuality
• Teen

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright(All Rights Reserved)

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11714/3870

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/3870