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The Birth of Sean Preston

Date: Apr 03 2006

Intro

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There’s beauty in childbirth, and it may or may not be evident in “Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston,” a sculpture showing Britney Spears giving birth to her son. The sculpture is meant to honor Britney for putting family before career.

Listen to Taylor and Dave talk about the sculpture.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dave

Taylor

Dave: There’s a sculpture on display in New York right now that features Britney Spears on her hands and knees, on top of a bearskin rug, giving birth.

Taylor: I’m looking at it right now, Dave, and it’s quite the sight. It’s something, I could imagine somebody spending a good deal of money on.

Dave: I’m sure they will. But it’s supposed to be a commentary on pro-life, you know, helping people who are struggling to make the decision to have an abortion or to have the baby. I don’t see how that fits in with the sculpture.

Taylor: No, I don’t see it at all, you know. I think I agree with you.

Dave: It’s got to be the juxtaposition between the dead bear and the newborn baby.

Taylor: It’s great that people have this choice, that could change in the legal landscape to come.

Dave: Well, yeah, especially, you know, with South Dakota now completely illegalizing abortion.

Taylor: Oh yeah.

Dave: And they’re saying this is setting up the cards to overturn Roe v. Wade in the near future. But, so, this museum that’s showcasing this sculpture has gotten a bunch of hate mail from, you know, people in Tokyo, Singapore, China, India. People are just flooding this place, all over the world, because they’re upset that they’re using Britney Spears, who’s a worldwide pop icon, in this political context.

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Discussion

As it is in most countries around the world, abortion is a controversial topic in the United States. In 1973, in a monumental decision on the case of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court made it illegal for states to prevent women from having abortions. Since then, two camps have developed: Pro-Life and Pro-Choice.

Very basically, Pro-Life supporters believe that abortion should be illegal, while Pro-Choice supporters believe that women should be able to choose whether or not they want to give birth to their babies.

The artist who created “The Birth of Sean Preston” wanted to honor Britney Spears for focusing on her family even though she was at the height of her career. Last year, she was the most searched for person on Google, showing that people love a pregnant celebrity.

What are your thoughts on abortion? What are the laws in your country?

Comments

ola33

Japan

Really? I think Bernini who created in the era of High Baroque would turn in his grave looking at it. Well, despite of the hardest time of dark ages, people could make magnificent, sensual and exuberant Art. But now, I can’t even name The Birth of Sean Preston. What it’s called? Realism with Manerism and Imagination of the sculptor himself. Anyway here it is Bernini with Ecstesy of St Teresa.