Expectant mothers sell positive pregnancy tests on Craigslist
Even more troubling, the sellers assure they won’t ask questions and don’t care what the tests are being used for. However, there aren’t very many uses for a positive pregnancy test, outside of confirming a woman is pregnant. Unless you want to make, say, a dreamcatcher.
Could it be these tests are used for more nefarious purposes? Yes, that’s definitely the reason….
The ads continue to appear across the country, all with the same no-questions-asked, I’m-always-by-my-phone language. Might there also be a market for negative pregnancy tests?
~ Audra Schroeder, discussing recent Craigslist ads for positive pregnancy tests at a cost of around $25 each, The Daily Dot, August 29
(Click image to enlarge.)
Sep.03, 2013 1:00 am |
Pregnancy |
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Continual chipping away at marriage.
This is how civilizations crumble – one selfish act at a time.
I would guess practical jokes or someone not wanting their boyfriend to break up with them, for why there is a market for these tests.
I have no clue in any universe how this is “chipping away at marriage”.
The real question now is is there anything people won’t sell on Craigslist?
Eww — who would want something like that, its covered with someone else’s urine. Yecch!
Jack,
They chip away at marriages by encouraging deceit between couples. Even if those couples aren’t yet married, isn’t marriage the endgame to dating? So it’s establishing a relationship based on lies. And we’re not talking about the hyper-exaggerated, “My butt doesn’t actually look good in those?! Our relationship is built on lies!” but rather an actual foundation of deceit for a relationship.
They chip away at marriage by establishing that the white wedding she always wanted is indeed more important than a solid relationship with good communication and true commitment.
They provide the opportunity, the temptation, to deceive, trick, trap, or otherwise inflict hurt upon your partner for your own selfish gain. You can’t see how that would have a negative influence on marriage-both those established and also those beginning through this sort of deceit?
Oh, you think lying about pregnancy is a new thing? It’s a time honored tradition! Or she could lie about being on the pill if she wanted to go all in.
All kidding aside, I sincerely doubt there’s an epidemic of women buying pregnancy tests on Craigslist to trick their rather dimwitted boyfriends into staying with them. My mind went to “probably a joke or dumb teenagers” for people who would buy such things. Maybe I’m wrong and it’s a serious issue, but I really do doubt it. Which explains my flippant response.
Even if those couples aren’t yet married, isn’t marriage the endgame to dating?
For many people, no.
Seriously Jack, unscrupulous females can buy these and perpetrate all manner of fraud with them. It’s not a joke. What if you’re a guy that pays for what you think is an abortion, later feel terrible regret, and grieve over a child that never was conceived. Nothing good can come of buying a pregnancy ’stick’ online. Terrible idea. How many men, young and old, would refute what looks like evidence? How many real fathers will have suspicion toward their women if they even suspect her pregnancy test isn’t real and valid? Damage, damage, damage, that’s all that can result.
This reminds of ads in the real old days: “Not to be taken by women in the family way.”
Of course, they were poisons specifically for women “in trouble.”
“This reminds of ads in the real old days: “Not to be taken by women in the family way.” Of course, they were poisons specifically for women “in trouble.” “
I think the connection is limited. This allows non-pregnant women to pretend to be pregnant, while that allows pregnant women to become non-pregnant. So in a way, it’s kind of the opposite.
Ninek, I never said it was a good thing. I mostly think it’s dumb. Like I said, I sincerely, honestly doubt that there are tons of women who would find this an acceptable way to mess with a boyfriend (in a serious way, I can see some practical jokers thinking this would be funny). Maybe I have too much faith in the human race or something.
I do think that if some guy is sleeping around and has someone try to “fool” him for whatever reason (maybe she’s hurt he’s sleeping with other women, or something like that, and is desperately trying to make him commit to her), maybe it will be a wake-up call to him that he needs to change his behavior. I remember being a slutty teenaged guy, and I never really thought about pregnancy, rarely if ever (I assume that’s much different for females). For some reason a lot of men think that because we don’t carry the babies we don’t bear any consequences, which is false and some young guys need that knocked into their head. Again, I don’t think it’s good, I don’t think anyone should try to lie about being pregnant or trick people into thinking she’s pregnant, just musing on a possible positive.
Jack, I never said you said it was a good thing. You offered that you might be wrong and it’s a serious issue, so yes, it’s no joke and it is a serious issue.
I’m a prankster myself. Pranks, by nature, must be shared to be enjoyed. Nobody pulls a secret prank, what would be the point? If I were going to prank someone, I’d use a stick belonging to someone I know. Pranks are funniest when others are in on it. On the other hand, if I’m going to extort money from a hook-up dude, and some nice fake “evidence” is available… nothing good will come of these sales.
MaryRose – spot on!
Jack – pregnancy is rather serious, particularly when claims are made about paternity. Unless a couple have had fairly intimate discussions about children, presenting a positive pregnancy test is an unknown. I’ve dealt with a couple of touchy cases. In every state, pregnancy is actually a medical diagnosis – and when evidenced by a doctor, must be recorded in a person’s medical history. Consumer pregnancy tests are merely helpful indicators.
The other problem I have is the motive of the pregnant mother. If she’s clearing $$$, then she can produce quite a large number of positive tests for sale. It cheapens the sacred and turns pregnancy into a kind of prostitution. There is also no saying the child showing up as a positive even sees the light of day through childbirth.
So when I said one selfish act at a time, I meant it to cover both the seller and the buyer,
My first thought hearing that was, “EWWWWWWWW!!!” Who would want a stick coated with pee???? I hope whoever is buying them is just a bored teen trying to pull a prank… not a very funny prank but still just intended to be a joke.
Jack,
I didn’t argue that this was the ultimate destruction of marriage or anything. It’s just one indicator of a social ill which is slowly chip-by-chip eroding the foundation of marriage. This is one symptom of a bigger problem, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore this.
I’m honestly surprised, given the way your ex was about communication and pregnancy, that you don’t see the danger in this sort of thing when used as a trap.
I do see that it could be dangerous, I just doubt it’s a humongous issue.
I also think it’s weird to get tricked into thinking someone is pregnant when they aren’t. How can you not tell if a woman you’re sleeping with is pregnant? After a few months it’s going to be obvious one way or the other and it’s not like there aren’t signs before that. Am I literally the only guy who would want to go to the doctor’s appointments and what have you? It’s just weird to me.
‘clean’ urine for sale.
1-800-PUREPEE
Cash only!
BYOB
It does seem a serious issue to me in that it is indicative of the pervasive lack of morals in our society. To facilitate dishonesty in others to make a few bucks…disgusting. And yes, the lack of morals is a HUGE problem, made all the more obvious by the access we have to it through the internet. So much easier to be corrupt and dishonest when you can do it anonymously. Blech.
I seriously doubt that there would be many “takers” either. For one, if this would backfire on a female willing to lead her partner astray, things could get ugly. Craigslist and Angieslist are unreliable sellers anyway you look at it. Craigslist was busted for “Adult Services” section (fostering sexual abuse per prosecution) not too long ago but now some of these still linger there.
Anybody with half a brain or at minimum one brain cell most likely realizes that Craigslist is of ill repute and not reliable a seller.
The humongous issue is the underlying problem of which this is symptomatic. Which is to say, the general disregard for marriage in this nation. The idea of a contract marriage, the huge divorce statistics, the idea of premarital and extramarital relations as not only ‘normal’ but actually necessary for happiness. The focus on the wedding at the expense of the marriage. The disregard for the significance of marriage as a sacrament by Christians, and the popular idea of having a friend or family member ordained online to marry you. The way that we have decided to turn our backs on the actual function and purpose of marriage by encouraging gay union as “marriage” -something it can never be, no matter how we so arrogantly define it. All of these things are symptoms of the general destruction of marriage, being chipped to death over time. So when Chris says chipping away, when I repeat chipping away, it is because that is the accurate term for the phenomenon. Marriage is being chipped away bit by bit until it becomes unrecognizable. And everything which disregards the importance of a healthy relationship built on trust and communication and around God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply” is a serious issue because it blocks us from Him.