Bristol Palin getting $30K per speaking engagement

This was in the news a few days ago. Sorry for not being on the ball.

I have nothing against Bristol Palin. Her vice presidential candidate mother aside, Bristol’s story is a very common one: a teen who got pregnant despite precautions, and decided to parent the baby with the help of a strong family support system. Good for her! We should encourage young women who choose life, whether through parenting or adoption, to share their experiences. But holy cow, thirty grand to talk about abstinence? It undermines the message just a tad. “I love my son, but parenting is difficult. I wish I had waited until I was older. Also, three more of these talks, and I’ll be making a six-figure salary this year.”

For the vast majority of teen parents, finances are a struggle. The tens of thousands of dollars dropped on celebrity abstinence spokespeople would be much better spent on securing prenatal care, education, and employment opportunities for young moms in need.