Editorial: Pregnant Mannequins to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy

by Guest Writers Anna McNamara, Stacy Chun, Jorge De Avila, Terry Richmond, Emily Hacker, GaOn Jung

Prom Season. We all went through it back in high school: the stress of getting the right
date, the excitement of finding the right dress. At the time, we assumed prom night would be
the pinnacle of our high school careers, as well as a night that we would nostalgically reminisce
over in the years to come. Now, as a college student, I walk the aisles upon aisles of poofy,
frilly prom dresses that now seem lackluster and excessive. I cannot return, for the life of me,
to the mindset of that giddy girl trying on dress after dress, hoping one speaks to her. Well, in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it seems as though these dresses are speaking more than usual. Dress-
adorned, pregnant mannequins serve as the newest tactic to forewarn teenagers of the costs of
teen pregnancy.

These are not maternity gowns; they are regular prom dresses stretching at the seams to
accommodate a pregnant belly, labeled with a tag stating ‘A prom date is better than a due date.’
Dress shop owner Elliot Torrence says, “We’re either part of the solution, or we’re part of the
problem. They come in, they look around, and oftentimes, we don’t have a chance to speak with
them one-on-one. But if they could leave with this message, and it makes a difference, then it’s
worth it.” He is happy to be involved and will have these pregnant mannequins on display for
the next few weeks at both his stores. The mannequins are part of United Way’s aggressive 10-
year campaign to reduce teen pregnancy. Nicole Angresano of United Way says, “We have to
give it to them straight. We have to be hard-hitting. We can’t put soft pieces out there. We can’t
be touchy feely about this.” United Way aims to demystify the prom night paradigm and visually
confront prom attendees with the real possibility of becoming pregnant. Teens are warned to
keep their better judgment while celebrating with friends, most specifically when it comes to the
after party.

The organization that came up with this bold tactic is the United Way Women’s
Leadership Council. This council is integral part of United Way, founded and led by women with
primary concerns of women’s health and social issues. In the Milwaukee chapter of the United
Way Women’s Council, they devised a 10 year campaign in which a prominent goal was to
reduce local teen pregnancies by 46 percent. This plan began in 2006, and as they are more than
halfway done with the campaign, the latest research shows that there was a drop of more than
30 percent in local teenage pregnancies. This is the first time the United Way Women’s Council
embraced such direct attacks on prom night, and so far they are receiving a lot of local support.
However, while United Way describes this tactic as “hard hitting,” it begs to question
of whether or not the message truly hits home. Despite the controversial nature of the pregnant
mannequins, this particular tactic lacks realism. It glamorizes teen pregnancy. The dresses still
fit and look ‘prom-ready’ on the altered mannequins, as if designed for expecting moms. The
underlying concept is lacking; in fact, a teenage mother probably wouldn’t be even able to
attend prom! It fails to highlight the exhaustion, the financial strain, and the social sacrifices
that accompany the birth of a child. Pregnancy doesn’t simply mean going up a few dress sizes.
Further, the tag on the dress saying “A prom date is better without a due date” is not particularly
eye catching and from across a store, failing to convey any message besides the illusion that they
sell maternity prom dresses. A more accurate display would show a mannequin holding a child
with a tag that says “You would have had a prom date if you didn’t have due date.”
United Way is almost halfway through their 10-year plan and so far, their efforts have

decreased the local rate of teenage pregnancies astoundingly. Despite this statistical success,
their newest pregnant mannequin campaign appears to be a poorly executed scare tactic. No
doubt, the awareness they are trying to promote is important, but this lacks the more relevant
realities of pregnant life. If their hearts are set on such a ploy, adding facts about motherhood
or an infant mannequin in a stroller would be more impactful, let alone more appropriate. That
way, when teens are shopping for prom dresses they will be presented with more accurate
consequences of motherhood, not just the necessitated change to an umpire waist. While the
impact of United Way’s other campaigns is undeniable, this one seemingly misses the mark.