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Confession: I watch One Tree Hill. If you’re not a television expert, you may not know how embarrassing it is for me to admit to watching this trashy teen soap opera (that’s on the CW every Monday night). But the truth is – I love it; I’m so addicted. When visiting a couple of friends a few months ago, I ended up watching every episode on DVD, and now I’m completely hooked.
Last night, I was watching last week’s episode online (I’m a little behind in my TV watching), and shockingly, I was almost convinced to stop watching the show altogether. What, you may be wondering, could One Tree Hill possibly do to lose such a loyal viewer? They brought up abortion, and it wasn’t good.
One Tree Hill has tackled some hard-hitting issues during its five and a half seasons. In addition to relationship drama, divorced parents, poverty, cancer, substance abuse, homophobia, and high school pregnancy, there was even a school shooting during one season. For the most part, I was never really offended by the way these issues were discussed and dealt with on the show. A few times, I was annoyed by how much Brooke (the popular cheerleader character) got called out for having sex. And, of course, there was never really very much diversity, but generally, it was a pretty average TV drama. Until last week.
Though the series started when the characters were in high school, they’ve now graduated, skipped ahead five years, and they’re all 23. Though there have been many different relationship permutations among the show’s characters, currently, Peyton (the blond, introspective, very-into-music one) is now engaged to Lucas (the brooding now-best-selling author star-of-the-show who is played by Chad Michael Murray). Peyton is pregnant. It was an unexpected pregnancy but really not at all upsetting for anyone, just surprising. At the beginning of last week’s episode, Peyton collapses in pain, and we find out that there is something seriously wrong with her pregnancy. Though there were never any medical specifics mentioned, we learn that if Peyton decides to have the baby, there will be serious complications, and she will probably not survive. When Lucas and Peyton start to discuss what to do next, Lucas makes it clear that Peyton should not have the baby. After all, he doesn’t want to lose the love of his life, and they can try again to have another baby. And then Peyton freaks out. She starts screaming, “Abortion!? You want me to have an ABORTION!?” Lucas says, “That’s not what this is,” and Peyton responds, “Call it what it is, Lucas, you want me to have an ABORTION.” Every time Peyton said ‘abortion,’ she screamed it in this awful tone of voice that made me cringe.
After she calmed down, Peyton began convincing Lucas that they could not possibly consider killing their baby. After all, they saw its heartbeat, and its hands and feet. It’s a real person, and they would be murderers if they killed it. She told Lucas that their baby is meant to do something amazing, and if they kill it, they will be acting selfishly and destroying an innocent life. Lucas told her a few times that he really didn’t want her to die, but she refused to listen. Because, she said, even if she dies, he’ll have their baby, and he’ll be able to be happy about not having killed their child. So, in the end, Peyton convinces Lucas. She’ll continue the pregnancy, they’ll hope she doesn’t die, ignore the doctor, and be relieved about not killing their child.
Are you joking me, One Tree Hill? Peyton is 23 years old. She owns a recording label and has a pretty great life. She’s about to get married, and she definitely has a long life ahead of her during which to have other babies. Having this baby will kill her. And all she can think about is not having an abortion and killing her unborn child? She didn't even consider the possibility of ending the pregnancy to save her life! From the way that this issue was presented, it actually seemed like Peyton would have considered ending the pregnancy if it didn’t mean having an abortion. Why can’t we just have an honest conversation about abortion? This could have been a great show during which to discuss the need for abortion to be legal, so that when a woman’s life is in danger, she can end the pregnancy safely. But instead, there seemed to be no real thought coming from Peyton and Lucas. They couldn’t get past the word and the anti-choice rhetoric of the unborn child’s potential and cute little arms and legs. Bummer, One Tree Hill. You could have done so much better. I’m sure there are many women like Peyton who are so overwhelmed by the anti-choice message about abortion that they never even really consider it. But One Tree Hill is a TV show, not real life. The writers had the opportunity to talk productively about this issue after highlighting the problem. But they didn’t. And that almost makes me want to stop watching the show.
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by GarrettMize
by AFY_Samantha
by AFY_Samantha
by AFY_Samantha
by AFY_Samantha
This is definately disconcerting. I'm trying to keep in mind that the real reason all of this is framed this way is to promote the drama of the show. That said, the fact that an abortion is being used as an aggressive tool of martyrdom is a little fucked up. Plus it's a medical abortion, for the character's health. One would think that would take a lot of the drama out of it. Many people who are anti-choice don't consider that kind of an abortion an abortion, even if technically it is the exact same medical procedure. It seems the father character is of that mind set since he is quoted to deny that this is an abortion. I've never seen the show, but can't help but be curious of how things pan out. I wonder if the girl will have the baby in a "aw thank god she didn't abort it" moment of the show.