13 Reasons why the Netflix original has sparked unnecessary controversy
The book by Jay Asher was published TEN YEARS AGO, so if the context of the show is so problematic, why has nothing been done in the past ten years of the books publishing?
Hannah is not seeking revenge in taking her own life, she was raped, bullied, and neglected, she had no clue that her suicide would spark change. In fact most people who have taken their own life (something I am not supporting in any way) are not trying to make a change, they unfortunately see no other option or way out of their situation.
This isn’t the first time a @netflix original has touched a serious topic. Aubrey and Daisy is an original documentary that discusses the story of two teenagers who were raped and took their own lives. The show Dear White People has also sparked a lot of controversy, but people continue to obsess over this one.
It speaks about very real issues that many people, high schoolers and not, face, bullying, sexual assault, depression, and yes even suicide, but Netflix has included resources to help people in these situations.
Yes while some of it has been hyperbolized for the sake of keeping the viewers attention, it is important to acknowledge that this is a work of fiction, yes the subject and context of the show is very real, people need to be able to distinguish the difference between a fictional television show and real life
The show has stayed fairly true to the book, so again if people are against letting people watch the show than also advise against the book
Some people have complained about the extreme use of profanity, I have to say that while I can see the reason to be upset, that is actually how a lot of today’s teenagers speak, and a lot of it is due to seeing it on social media or hearing it at home or school, so in that sense, Netflix was trying to demonstrate how teens communicate (for the most part as I know that not all high schoolers swear)
The show sheds light on signs of mental illness, in showing that many of the people Hannah was close to never saw her illness because she had not previously been considered “at-risk” or showed the stereotypical signs of depression.
The show encourages discussion, discussion about signs of mental illness, what to do if you or a loved one might be dealing with a mental illness, and also discussion about grief and learning to move on/let go when someone we know dies.
Part of the controversy, is that the issues discussed, underage drinking, sexual assault, suicide are all taboo in society and seldom discussed in the classroom or at home. Many parents/teachers hope that if students never hear or see it they will never think to do it, but with this show and book these issues again are being talked about much like they were when Perks of Being a Wallflower and Speak had their time in the controversial sun.
If any issues in this show are concerning, it’s that Hannah had multiple cries for help but was dismissed for being a moody teenage girl who turned everything into her problem when she was truly struggling with her inner demons
Netflix has done a lot of things to warn people of the graphic content of the show, to begin, the show does have a TV MA rating which is defined as shows with content that may be unsuitable for those under the age of 17 to watch, and they have put may disclaimers throughout the series.
At the end of the day, this show wanted to start conversations, and it did just that. It is important to know that everyone has different maturity levels, and it is okay for a person to say that maybe they or their child is not quite ready to watch the show yet, I do hope that this show and book become key discussion points for these issues.
*Disclaimer: I do not support the idea of removing the show from Netflix but do however agree that for some this show may be too graphic, don't be afraid to watch it with an adult or with your kid (if you're an adult) because it may be better to do it that way; also if anyone needs to speak with someone the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24-7 just call 1-800-273-8255 *