Whenever the subject of abortion is raised, it’s rare that controversy doesn’t follow. Feelings about the issue can be very strong and incredibly divisive. But no matter which stance we take, one thing is hard to argue: facing an unplanned pregnancy is rarely easy, especially for teens. MTV’s No Easy Decision is a special that focuses on this situation. The show, which first aired last December, features three teens who choose to end their unplanned pregnancies.

No Easy Decision respectfully shares the stories of teens Katie, Markai and Natalia without judgment, emphasizing the complexity of their circumstances and the steps each takes to learn about her choices. They consider adoption and the realities of parenting. (Markai, for instance, worries about her college plans and financial future). The show provides an honest description of the situations teens can face when dealing with unplanned pregnancies and, at times, is very moving.

No Easy Decision gives voice to a subject that is not often discussed in the open in such a frank and sensitive way. Already facing what is indeed “no easy decision,” these teens have also found the courage to share their stories. And even if some viewers may disagree with their decisions, their strength and willingness to reach out to viewers, who might themselves be facing the same choice, is worth respecting.

—Meg Gibbon, 19, Contributor

You’ve got to hand it to the British TV show, The Sex Education Show, and its companion Web site Sexperience; they know how to create a stir. You’ve probably never seen anything quite as frank as the Sexperience Web site’s featured videos of people answering questions, like “How did you know you were ready to lose your virginity?” or “When did you come out?” And the TV show uses videos of live nude models or pictures to address questions about penis size and what happens to your body when you’re pregnant or when you age. The Sex Education Show travels around with host Anna Richardson, speaking to audiences of teens in the U.K. and sometimes consulting with health professionals. For example, in one episode, Anna Richardson spoke with a clinical psychologist about the benefits if having “lots of good sex.” I don’t know about you, but this is definitely different than my high school sex ed.

If nothing else, The Sex Education Show and Sexperience Web site are blunt, in all the best ways: they aren’t dancing around issues and nobody is skirting the truth. In fact, to answer the question “Are my breasts normal?” the show features a gallery of photographs of breasts, so we get to see what normal really looks like in all of its various shapes and sizes. If only something this gritty and true could make its way into American sexual health, we might all understand the facts a lot better

—Taylor McCabe, 17, Staff Writer

With a brand-new season of Jersey Shore rapidly approaching, we’re anticipating raging parties, big hair poufs and… STDs?!

According to a recent article from The New York Post, popular reality television shows, like Jersey Shore and Celebrity Rehab, are really concerned about their cast members getting STDs. In fact, during a roundtable discussion with reality show producers hosted by The Hollywood Reporter, a Jersey Shore producer claimed that they hand out Valtrex, a popular medication for treating herpes, “like M&Ms.”

This isn’t all that surprising, especially considering Pauly D’s wild one-night stands with random strangers. But on TV these hookups are portrayed like carefree, harmless fun, without any potential health risks or dangerous consequences.

Of course, there’s no way to know for sure whether these reality shows really are hotbeds for STDs, unless everyone is tested. But with all the random flings, you would think that there would be some talk of safer sex. Yet safer sex—which is critical for reducing the risk of getting STDs, such as herpes and HIV—is simply glossed over during filming. Rarely do we see Snooki rushing to buy condoms or Mike the Situation getting tested for-or at the very least worrying about—gonorrhea.

But just because we don’t see cast members dealing with itchy red bumps or wondering if they should be tested after last nights escapade doesn’t mean STDs aren’t part of real life. Reality shows would be a lot more “real” if they actually showed the consequences of engaging in risky sex. Hopefully, this season we’ll start hearing more about preventing or treating STDs and less about doing GTLs (gym, tan, laundry).

—Cynthia Lam, 16, Staff Writer

If you’re a girl, you already know it, and if even if you’re a guy, you probably have a good sense of it: Having your period is not fun. Girls deal with their periods because they have to.

I don’t wear white or frolic through fields of flowers on my period. I’m guessing that most other girls don’t either, but that’s exactly what you see in commercials for tampons and pads. It’s these images that make these commercials so ridiculous.

Kotex’s commercials for their new line of tampons, pads and liners called U are great because they challenge the images of women on their periods dancing through a flock of butterflies. The commercials are totally hilarious. And while I may not have rushed out and bought these particular tampons, the commercials definitely caught my attention. And what more can you ask of a commercial?

-Taylor McCabe, 17, Staff Writer

If the American teenager has a secret life, it’s a secret to me…and I am an American teenager. For those of you that have seen the show, you likely know what I’m talking about: The Secret Life of the American Teenager, whose second season will end later this month on ABC Family.

For those of you who haven’t seen it, let me try to give you a bit of an overview: The show started by following the pregnancy of fifteen-year-old Amy Juergens. Amy’s baby’s father Ricky is dating Adrian, who slept with Ben, who is Amy’s ex-boyfriend. Ben’s father is dating Betty, who used to be a prostitute who was friends-without-benefits with Tom, Grace’s brother. Highly religious Grace believes that having sex with her longtime boyfriend, Jack (who also slept with Adrian, but is now dating Amy’s best friend), killed her father, as her father died in a plane crash on the same night Grace slept with her boyfriend.

And that’s just a taste. The drama gets even more intricate.

The real question, however, is this: Do adults really think this is how American teens live? While the show is the most hilarious hour of my week, I can’t help but wonder if this is how adults see us. And if this is how teens are represented, how can we ever expect to be taken seriously when it comes to making decisions about sex and our futures?

—Taylor McCabe, 17, Staff Writer