If you’re a Teen Mom 2 fan, then you’re probably aware that Kailyn Lowry has three sons by three different fathers.
As a result, she’s been criticized on a fairly constant basis by oddly puritanical reality TV fans.
Apparently, there are Amish folk with basic cable out there. Who knew?
It goes without saying that these people are morons, and Kail has nothing to be ashamed of.
But in the interest of setting fire to gender norms and toxic double standards, we’d like to take things a step further and propose that Kail deserves a place alongside Carrie Bradshaw and Daenerys Targaryen on the short list of genuinely empowered, sex-positive women who have graced our television screens.
Sure, she doesn’t have any pet dragons, but she does earn bonus points for being not only an actual real-world human, but a representative of chronically underrepresented groups such as single moms and bisexual women.
So whether you love Kail or irrationally hate her (It’s pretty much always irrational when you hate someone whose actions in no way impact your life. Just sayin’.), join as we make the case for Ms. Lowry as the most sexually woke of all the Teen Moms:
Living Her Best Life
Kail has described herself as the most hated of all the Teen Moms, and while that title could probably be more accurately applied to Jenelle Evans or Farrah Abraham, it’s not hard to see why Lowry feels so maligned.
An Army of Haters
Much of the anti-Kail criticism has to do with her alleged promiscuity, which is absurd for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that there’s no indication Lowry has been with an inordinate number of partners.
Who. Really. Cares?
More importantly, it doesn’t matter if Kail has slept with a lot of people. Sure, she stars on a reality show, and her personal life is bound to be a topic of discussion on social media, but that doesn’t mean every opinion that every viewer expresses about her personal life is valid or un-problematic.
The Obvious Point
For starters, if Kail were a man, she’d be applauded for much of the same behavior for which she’s currently maligned.
The More Important Point
On top of that, based on what we’ve seen of her on screen and heard about her from her past partners, Kail is in no way abusive in her relationships.
Doing It Right
She doesn’t engage in risky behavior for its own sake. She doesn’t use her sexuality in a way that’s likely to cause harm to herself or others, and she’s famously cautious about introducing her children to her partners.
That Said …
None of this is to suggest that Kail is perfect or, for that matter, any less deeply flawed than the rest of us.
Villainized Without Cause
We’re merely suggesting that unlike Jenelle and Farrah, the widespread disgust that Lowry’s behavior has apparently inspired is entirely without basis.
A Personal History
Here’s a brief rundown of Kail’s romantic past and the behaviors that her detractors have found most objectionable over the years.
In the Beginning …
When viewers first met Kail, she was involved in a relationship with Jo Rivera.
A Tough Spot
After becoming pregnant with Jo’s child at the age of 17, Kail received little in the way of support from her family. It was situation that you might think would foster sympathy among longtime viewers. But as we’ve seen, that hasn’t been the case.
Err Jordan
It’s here that Kailyn’s critics will point out that despite the love and financial support she received from Jo and his family, Lowry hooked up with her ex, Jordan Wenner, behind Jo’s back.
Yes, But…
While that’s true, it’s worth pointing out that Jo had previously broken up with Kailyn, and as a single teenage mom, she was probably feeling just the slightest bit confused and unsure of herself in those days.
Javi Days
From there, Kail entered a relationship with the father of her second son, Javi Marroquin. Though they eventually married, the relationship quickly deteriorated, largely as a result of less-than-ideal behavior from both parties.
It’s Complicated
In other words, their situation remains as thorny and nuanced as any failed marriage, just with the added complexity of being televised for an audience of millions.
A Label-Free Life
In between her most publicized relationships, Kail engaged in several more short-lived romances with members of both sexes.
Doing Her Best
In this, again, she behaved in exemplary fashion, never shying away from important discussions about her sexuality and owning up to her mistakes. At one point, Kail even went so far as to publicly apologize to Dominique Potter, confessing that she could have treated her former girlfriend better.
Lux and Lopez
These days, Kail is a single (we think) mother of three boys, her youngest, Lux, the result of her brief relationship with a fellow University of Delaware grad named Chris Lopez.
Kail on Top
There was a time when it seemed that Lopez wanted little to do with her either Kailyn or his son. Lowry worked through this difficult time, and today, she and Chris have an amicable co-parenting relationship. There have even been rumors that they’re romantically involved again. If that turns out to be the case, we hope the second time around yields all of the happiness and stability that Kail so richly deserves.