Image from FashionIndie

Teen Vogue, the junior version of the fashion world’s authoritative magazine, features a 19-year-old pregnant model in their November 2009 issue.

According to the magazine, they were not aware that the model, Jourdan Dunn, was pregnant when they did the photo shoot. But instead of pulling out the cover, they decided to include an interview about the model’s pregnancy in the cover article.

Editor-in-Chief Amy Astley commented that Jourdan Dunn needs to be supported and not punished.  “Teen pregnancy is a difficult, real-life issue that Teen Vogue readers are mature enough to be exposed to,” said the editor in a statement.”[Dunn] contributed a beautiful photo shoot and will surely have an ongoing and successful career in fashion,” she added.

The cover, shared by Dunn with fellow black model Chanel Iman, is titled “Teen Supermodels Jourdan and Chanel on their rise to the top.” It focuses on the models’ faces, and initially gives no hint that Dunn is pregnant.  The cover story highlights the two models’ friendship, work-related rivalries, and their experience as African-American models in the industry.

In the feature, Dunn was quoted as saying, “All I could think about was what my mom was going to say, my agency, my boyfriend.” She relates that when her Mom found out, the latter cried and blamed herself, as she herself got pregnant with Dunn at the same age.

As expected, Teen Vogue’s cover sparked various reactions from parents, teenagers, and groups that discourage teen pregnancy.

Conservative subscribers do not find the issue appealing, arguing that it sets a bad example to the magazine’s readers, who are mostly 15 to 19 years old.

Other people, however see the cover as a way through which teenage pregnancy can be discussed.

Bill Albert, representative of National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said that Teen Vogue “shape[s] what [young people] think is cool, is not cool, what’s in, what’s out, what’s acceptable, what seems to be the social norm,” making the cover a potential “teachable moment.” (Jezriel M)

Sources: HuffingtonPost, MSN