Maggie Gallagher

In the following viewpoint, Maggie Gallagher argues that while the teen pregnancy rate has not changed since the 1970s, the number of teens who are bearing children out of wedlock has increased dramatically. This rise in unwed motherhood is due to a national campaign against teen marriage, she maintains, in which society bombards teenagers with the message that they are too young to marry. Unfortunately, Gallagher contends, unwed mothers are less likely to marry at all or achieve their other goals. Therefore, she asserts, society should emphasize marriage for pregnant teens. Gallagher is the author of The Abolition of Marriage: How We Destroy Lasting Love and a scholar affiliated with the Institute of American Values, a family and social policy research organization.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How much more...