Customer Reviews

Dear Diary, I'm Pregnant: Ten Real Life Stories

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First published in 1997, the book has been updated in 2010 with a new resources section, including emergency hotlines, resources for finding a health clinic, and resources for abortion and adoption.

Dear Diary features 10 teenaged girls who talk about how they decided to keep their baby; give the baby up for adoption; or choose an abortion. They also talk about the consequences of those decisions: their feelings, their lives after giving birth or having an abortion, and their advice to other teens facing a similar situation.

Interestingly, no matter what their own personal decision, all the young women in this book expressed the belief that women should have a choice in this situation-that no one else should force them to make one choice over another.

The interviews are presented without any judgment, and with very little editorial commentary. The young women talk about failed birth control; lack of birth control; drugs and drinking; being homeless; religious beliefs; boyfriends; parents; their love for their baby; and more. Many of the girls said they wanted to participate in the interviews to help other teens. "I just want other people to know that they're not alone," said Rose. "Having a baby isn't going to end your life."

A nonjudgmental book like this one can help teens sort out their own feelings and needs from the demands and opinions of society and family members. I have included this book in my online Gender Equality Bookstore.