Markai Durham, 16 and Pregnant Star, Under Fire Over Abortion Special
MTV somehow managed to upstage the antics of Teen Mom firebrand Amber Portwood this week with a controversial episode of 16 and Pregnant.
The special, entitled "No Easy Decision," chronicled the decision of Markai Durham, 19, to terminate her second pregnancy. Yes. She had an abortion.
Durham already has a daughter with her teenage boyfriend, and the couple concluded, sadly, that they simply couldn't afford to raise another child.
16 19 AND PREGNANT: Markai Durham made the decision to end her second pregnancy. Reactions to this vary widely depending on one's view of abortion.
While Entertainment Weekly called the MTV reality show a "vivid, unsparing look" at a "harrowing decision," Fox News described the special as "controversial."
The N.Y. Post reports that anti-abortion critics railed against the "one-sided portrayal" of the issue, saying "the pro-life issue will simply get tackled."
For her part, Markai Durham is standing by her decision saying, "I get sad from time to time thinking about it, but then everything happens for a reason."
A post on Durham's Facebook fan page sought to quell negativity as well:
"Let me say this again: If you DONT like Markai or her decision. UNLIKE the page, its simple. Markai feels enough pain for making her choice, she DOESNT need to be ridiculed for it. Shes been honest with you when she could have hid it."
"Have some respect or leave! Seriously there are plenty of pages "talking (expletive)" so go there. Dont waste your time, Im just going to ban you."
If nothing else, you have to credit Markai for courageously subjecting herself to the criticism she knew she'd face when this special episode aired.
Was their decision not to have a child they couldn't afford actually responsible? Why not practice safe sex? Is it all unethical? So many questions.
No matter where you stand on the pro-life issue, abortions do happen. What do you think? Did MTV tackle the subject fairly? Share your comments.
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March 2nd, 2012 12:02 PM
I agree to what she did, I mean she can barely take care of herself and child let alone another, though she shouldn't have been in the predicament in the first place. You got pregnant because you were being irresponsible and obviously she didn't learn her lesson from the first time. Is sex so important, set an example for your daughter, focus on her not your boyfriend. Once again am not against abortion, i am actually glad they would air on tv but hopefully bad remarkes coming your way by others won't turn you into these hypocrites who judge on your responsible decision, I have relative who say its murder, guess what they've have had abortions themselves, once or twice in their lives.
January 28th, 2012 9:41 PM
I am a preschool teacher that works in a no-profit program. I recieve the worst DCF cases from the city and watch how these innoccent children suffer in their homes, when you tell someone that it was wrong to have an abortion you do not have an insight on their home life meaning that because you are so against abortion you would rather a child come into this life and go thhrough deplorable circumstanses. Birth control is also 99.9% affective there is always that .01% percent chance, it is possible and does happen. Every child does deserve a chance but the right chance not an unhappy life.
January 8th, 2012 8:11 PM
She made the decision that was best for her and she did say she was on birthcontrol. were you guys that didn't agree with her decision going to give her a penny in helping her take care of the baby if she would have kept it. I didn't think so.
December 17th, 2011 8:21 PM
This is ridiculous, abortion is not a form of birth control. Use protection if you don't want to have a baby. The pill, condoms, spermicide, there are endless options here. If you aren't responsible enough to prevent an unwanted pregnancy then don't have sex.
December 13th, 2011 4:54 PM
Im sorry all u people r saying its rational its not.. abortion is rediculous. how many of u have actually seen an aborted baby most of the time the women dont see the baby they aborted because they refuse to and y because they know what they r doing is wrong. and for anyone to say if it was murder it would b illegal..thats a load of crap.. it is murder... because u r killing a person.. everyone needs to think u were that fetus once. r u not alive? just because ur in someone belly being developed should not make u any less then a person.. its a growing human.. do u not cherish ur life? do u not think if the aborted child would have lived it wouldnt have cherished its life.. abortion is a very selfish act that nobody wants to take respnsability for.. in her case she could have picked another option.. if she couldnt afford another child she should have used better protection.. or put it up for adoption. their is always an alternative and yet so many people just dont care. and for these gi
December 2nd, 2011 7:10 PM
To: Abortion IS ok - No, I would not come to your house to feed, clothe, support your child. But I would have adopted it. And so would thousands of other women who crave a child with every breath they take. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for over a year and once again today, I started my period. The gift that you've thrown away baffles me and I hope you are tested like this sometime in your life to realize the full impact of what you did. I'm a Christian and I'm Pro-Life and I'm not judging you, but I am very sad for you. My sister was adopted and my husband and I are now looking into adoption and for the life of me, I can't understand why so many people throw away what another person would treasure with their whole heart.
November 29th, 2011 10:19 PM
I was 23 years old and had an abortion, I do not feel guilty for what I did nor should someone make me feel guilty. You have no idea who I am, what my situation is. I also agree that there should be some law with these teens getting pregnant. They think they know it all, but they are wrong. Also for all those ANTI-ABORTIONISTS: you say say i am wrong for what I'm doing well are you going to come to my house and help raise/feed/clothe/support or educate that child? If not then please don't tell me how to live my life.
November 12th, 2011 9:03 AM
Whore. Whore. Whore.
November 7th, 2011 11:13 PM
Um Samantha you're saying anyone who gets an abortion should die? You sound like such a hypocrite!! What if some 11 year old was raped by her father and had gotten pregnant, why would you want to make the girl who had been through enough trauma already have to go through that? Or what if a mother finds out she has cancer and has to terminate the pregnancy in order to treatment and has other children at home who need their mother? Abortion in no way is the easy way out by any means! Just think about this what if it was your daughter who was raped or her life was at risk and had to terminate the pregnancy? Would you wish death upon her? No I don't agree with what she did but I am not sitting here wishing death on her. All you people who call yourself Christians need to take a look at yourselves in the mirror, calling her stupid, a baby killer, and wishing death upon her, only God can judge and the bible says to love thy neighbor as yourself!
September 20th, 2011 10:00 PM
All i gotta say is wow you don't agree with it great calm the fuck down and grow up its like things happen its not a form of birth control that for sure but things happen people make mistakes if your so chriistian go to church and pray about it don't bad mouth other people that's not a christian thing to do only god can judge so shut ur mouth im not pro abortion but every girl is entitled to one if need be after that then there being careless if its was murder it wouldn't be legal in the us and canada and they only allow it to 16 weeks after that its developing brain can coprehend pain watever saying she needs to die etc etc your not a christian your messed. Even if ur not religious and your against something just don't do it yourself those are your morals n values don't push ur beliefs on someone else. ... walk a mile in there shoes... not all babies can be adopted if they could there wouldn't be millions of dying children starving in africa etc i just get annoyed with ignorant people