Pregnant Bodies, Fertile Minds: Gender, Race, and the Schooling of Pregnant Teens

Rating:
Summary: Ideal for White Middle Class Who Teach Black Students
Review: I am glad that Wendy Luttrell wrote this book. I enjoyed 'listening' to the teen girls stories and enjoyed viewing their collages that represented themselves. However, being a black female, I didn't learn anything new about black teenage girls. However, I think it is a GREAT book for White Middle Class people who work in the field of Education and honestly don't understand a) the complex identity process that working class african american girls go through in America (let alone being pregnant) and b) how to be conscious of their own 'whiteness' and Euro-Anglo centric view of 'deviance'. I got the feeling that this book was intended more for white middle class educators who teach or may teach working class african american pregnant teenagers. I am glad that Wendy depicted the pregnant girls in a "positive" light. Wendy clearly states that she doesn't want to stereotype. She explains to the reader that she herself is coming from a white middle class background. That acknowledgement of her 'whiteness' and white privilege are important in understanding who she is as a researcher. I like the fact she explains to the reader how she did her research and her honest directness of telling the audience how she felt while doing her field research and what challenges her own identity created while trying to connect to and understand the 50 individual pregnant girls she interacted with. Overall, it is great to see that she does not construct teenage pregnancy as 'deviant' behavior. The girls in this book are HUMANIZED.

Rating:
Summary: Ideal for White Middle Class Who Teach Black Students
Review: I am glad that Wendy Luttrell wrote this book. I enjoyed 'listening' to the teen girls stories and enjoyed viewing their collages that represented themselves. However, being a black female, I didn't learn anything new about black teenage girls. However, I think it is a GREAT book for White Middle Class people who work in the field of Education and honestly don't understand a) the complex identity process that working class african american girls go through in America (let alone being pregnant) and b) how to be conscious of their own 'whiteness' and Euro-Anglo centric view of 'deviance'. I got the feeling that this book was intended more for white middle class educators who teach or may teach working class african american pregnant teenagers. I am glad that Wendy depicted the pregnant girls in a "positive" light. Wendy clearly states that she doesn't want to stereotype. She explains to the reader that she herself is coming from a white middle class background. That acknowledgement of her 'whiteness' and white privilege are important in understanding who she is as a researcher. I like the fact she explains to the reader how she did her research and her honest directness of telling the audience how she felt while doing her field research and what challenges her own identity created while trying to connect to and understand the 50 individual pregnant girls she interacted with. Overall, it is great to see that she does not construct teenage pregnancy as 'deviant' behavior. The girls in this book are HUMANIZED.

Rating:
Summary: Insightful study of teenage sexuality and pregnacy
Review: Teenage sexuality and pregnancy is a complex issue with no easy answers. This book takes an in-depth look into the lives of 50 Southern, mostly African-American girls whose spirit and creativity manages to blossom despite many obstacles at school and in society.