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Re/Assembling the Pregnant and Parenting Teenager

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Re/Assembling the Pregnant and Parenting Teenager Fiona McGaughey 8 Irish Travellers and Teenage Pregnancy: A Feminist, Cultural, Relativist Analysis Abstract Views of teenage parenting can be culturally situated, as explored in this chapter in the context of an indigenous minority population in the Republic of Ireland – Irish Travellers (‘Travellers’). The demographic profile of Travellers is of a young population, due to high mortality rates. Traveller culture is changing, but shows strong adherence to patriarchy and pro-natalism, with an emphasis on chastity for Traveller girls, young marriage and childbearing. Teenage pregnancy outside of marriage brings shame for the Traveller girl and her family whilst, conversely, teenage pregnancy of a young bride is a cause for pride and happiness. Therefore, I argue that for Travellers ‘teenage pregnancy’ per se is not constructed as problematic; rather it is pregnancy outside of marriage that is constructed as problematic. Adopting a feminist cultural relativist approach, I argue that the role of Traveller women and girls could be re/assembled, but only with impetus from Traveller women and girls themselves. Introduction It has been acknowledged that teenage parenting has been socially con- structed as problematic (Weed, Nicholson & Farris 2014). Adolescent motherhood in particular has been framed by social scientists as associated with psychological dysfunction, poor parenting and socioeconomic dis- advantage (Breheny & Stephens 2007). These dominant views of teenage parenting are to some extent culturally situated, and this chapter explores teenage pregnancy in the context of an indigenous ethnic minority pop- ulation in the Republic of Ireland – Irish Travellers (‘Travellers’). As a researcher, I am cognisant of my identity as a member of the majority Irish Annelies Kamp and Majella McSharry - 9781787071803 Downloaded from PubFactory at 09/24/2021 02:12:48PM via free access 174 Fiona McGaughey population, carrying out research with a minority population (see, for example, Knight 2000). The chapter predominantly draws on qualitative research I did for Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre (‘Pavee Point’).1 In this chapter I adopt a feminist cultural relativist theoretical frame- work. Previous studies drawing on feminist theories with reference to ethnic minority groups and teenage pregnancy have tended to focus on groups with a higher incidence of teenage pregnancy (see, for example, Jacobs 1994). This differs from the cultural context of Irish Travellers, as this chapter discusses. The theory of cultural relativism holds that rights and rules about morality only gain meaning within a cultural context and exhibit cultural and historical variability (Donnelly 1984; Jivan & Forster 2005). This is generally contrasted with universalism, which holds that international human rights and associated values are universal (Donnelly 1984), drawing on the normative claims to universality articulated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other instruments (United Nations 1948). Some feminist scholarship finds itself caught in the cultural relativism versus universalism debate on sensitive topics such as female genital mutilation and child marriage (Jivan and Forster 2005). I draw on Desai, who argues that feminists should support women who oppose aspects of their culture (1999: 805), a view also reflected in one of the inter- views for this research. This is what I mean by a feminist cultural relativist theoretical framework. Through this theoretical framework, I argue that for Travellers ‘teenage pregnancy’ per se is not constructed as problematic; rather it is pregnancy outside of marriage that is constructed as problematic. The chapter is structured as follows. It begins by summarizing the research methodology in ‘About this research and methodology’. This is followed by an overview of the Traveller population: ‘About Travellers’, presenting a profile of a much younger population than the majority popu- lation due to high mortality rates. Drawing on the research I conducted for Pavee Point, the findings on ‘Traveller attitudes to sex and sex educa- tion’ are then summarized, also providing an insight into Traveller culture. 1 I carried out this research for Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre in 2010 and 2011 and am grateful for their permission in drawing on the findings. See McGaughey (2011). Annelies Kamp and Majella McSharry - 9781787071803 Downloaded from PubFactory at 09/24/2021 02:12:48PM via free access Irish Travellers and Teenage Pregnancy 175 Whether sex education is available to Travellers also contributes to our understanding of whether teenagers understand how to avoid pregnancy. The analysis of teenage pregnancy is then situated within the context of Traveller attitudes to ‘marriage, family and gender roles’, focusing on the strong patriarchy and the particular moral virtue expected of Traveller girls. In this section I also discuss media portrayal of Travellers and Traveller cul- ture regarding gender roles and marriage, and the risk that negative media coverage can further marginalize and ridicule a group already experiencing discrimination. Understanding that teenage pregnancy can often be por- trayed as unplanned, I provide an analysis of ‘pregnancy planning within the context of patriarchy and feminist cultural relativism’. In conclusion, I argue that there is a need for more Traveller-led research and commentary, particularly challenging the assemblage of the life of teenage Travellers presented in a voyeuristic and exploitative way by popular media. Traveller culture is undergoing rapid change, but shows strong adherence to patriarchy with an emphasis on young marriage and childbearing. Traveller girls are expected to maintain their virginity pre- marriage, and teenage pregnancy outside of marriage constitutes an enor- mous shame for the girl and her family. Conversely, teenage pregnancy of a young bride does not attract the same reproach and is rather a cause for pride and happiness. Adopting a feminist cultural relativist approach, I argue that how the role of Traveller women and girls has been assembled by the Traveller community may be open to challenge and re-assembly, but only with impetus from Traveller women and girls themselves, supported by others if necessary (Miller 1996). About this research and methodology This chapter predominantly draws on research I carried out in 2010 and 2011 for Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre in Ireland (Pavee Point). Pavee Point is a non-governmental organization committed to the attain- ment of human rights for Travellers. It comprises Travellers and members Annelies Kamp and Majella McSharry - 9781787071803 Downloaded from PubFactory at 09/24/2021 02:12:48PM via free access 176 Fiona McGaughey of the majority population working together in partnership.2 Pavee Point commissioned the research, funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency of Ireland, on Travellers’ attitudes to sexual relationships and sex education (McGaughey 2011), as a response to concerns that young Travellers may not have been receiving sex education in school or at home. Adopting a feminist cultural relativist approach, I selected a qualita- tive methodology for the research, as it is important to understand the cultural context of the Traveller community, which the qualitative method facilitated. This method also allows the challenging of stereotypes and assumptions which can result from quantitative surveys (Alderson 2001). I conducted the research through single-sex focus groups with Traveller young people aged sixteen to twenty-five years in urban and rural locations. The sixteen to twenty-five age bracket was chosen on the advice of Pavee Point, as 62 per cent of Travellers are aged under twenty-five. As such, this is a significant population group. Also, it was advised that parents of Traveller children younger than sixteen years of age may have been resistant to their children participating due to the taboo nature of the subject for some Travellers. Young people aged between sixteen and eighteen required parental permission to participate. Focus groups were also conducted with Traveller parents in both rural and urban locations, recruited via local Traveller organizations which also hosted the focus groups. In total, thirty-two Travellers participated in the focus groups. This was followed by eight interviews with teachers, youth workers and health care professionals. Although peer researcher strategies have been employed successfully for Traveller and Roma research projects (see Kelleher et al. 2010), I am not from the Traveller community. However, this mitigated against the risk that Travellers may not have been as forthcoming in inter- views and focus groups with a member of their own community, discussing what can be a taboo subject for Travellers. For Traveller men focus groups, a gendered approach was necessary and these were conducted by male peer researchers, supported by me, although I did not attend, given that some men may not have been comfortable having a woman present. All 2 Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre: <http://www.paveepoint.ie/ > accessed 12 January 2016. Annelies Kamp and Majella McSharry - 9781787071803 Downloaded from PubFactory at 09/24/2021 02:12:48PM via free access Irish Travellers and Teenage Pregnancy 177 interviews and focus groups were recorded and transcribed with permis- sion of participants. Although teenage pregnancy was not the focus of the research, dis- cussions on teenage pregnancy emerged amidst a picture of culture and attitudes towards
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