Monday 14 June 2010

The Only Abortion Storyline Ever Needed

Shortland Street has gone the same way as Go Girls, with an abortion storyline that's potentially All About Teh Menz.

A few weeks ago we had Shore Boy Kevin trying to find a way to force a woman he'd had an affair with to have his baby, and now it's Shortie's turn, with Lauren wanting to terminate a pregnancy at 8 weeks and her boyfriend, Daniel, wanting to stop her.

I'm hoping, really hoping, that NZ's favourite only soap avoids the Go Girl's plot line hole (mercifully cut short, even if by the nastiest character on the show) of forgetting that actually Teh Menz can't be the pregnant one, aren't the ones giving over their bodies, or going through labour/major surgery and so it's still the woman's choice, just as it's her body.

7 comments:

Francesca B said...

I am so glad I'm not the only one that was pissed off by this. Actually I found it so ridiculous it was funny, but still other people watch and go along 'oh poor boys!'. Not to say it isn't unfortunate that couples arn't always a agreement over wether or not to carry through with a pregnancy, it is however always the women's choice, always!

Anonymous said...

Do people still watch Shortland Street?

Julie said...

@ Anon Well clearly I do! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I kind of thought it was good that last night Lauren snapped and said I still want a termination. It is undfortunate she isn't a very sympathetic character so people will probably take Daniel's side but at least shortland st didn't try to pretend that all you need to be sweet with an unwanted pregnancy is for a man to tell you what you want. I was kind of angry that they were going to run with a storyline where someone was adament they didn't want a child and they just got 'talked into it' and lived happily ever after.

Julie said...

Yes I do have some hope about where Shortie might take this. It certainly looks like Sarah is going to back Lauren's stand, although of course I suppose that will throw up all sorts of issues for Daniel as the result of her own unplanned teen pregnancy. It is brave that they are tackling it, and brave that they don't seem to just be taking the easy route out (so far) of "the Mummy and the Daddy Want to Be Together So It's All Going To Be Fine".

I just really really hope that at some point some character with some mana shares the fact that about half of all pregnancies, possibly more, are in fact unplanned.

(Captcha = diedie )

ms p said...

I get annoyed that it's never called an 'abortion' but a termination. Is the 'a' word verboten?

And yep, I watch both these programs and got annoyed with both. Grrr.

Julie said...

Tonight was interesting, I think I quite like the line they are taking now. What did others think?