6 min read
By Emma Everett, MEDIAGIRLS Editorial Intern
By now, you’ve probably not only heard about the series 13 Reasons Why on Netflix, but you’ve received a letter from a guidance counselor, superintendent and/or another administrator warning you about the gravity of the show’s subject matter. No other show on Netflix has received more social media attention thus far, and everyone seem to be talking about it. Maybe the girl in your life binge-watched the whole series before you even heard of it. Perhaps she’s planning to watch it this summer. Maybe, she’s ecstatic to learn about the confirmed existence of season two (yep, season two has been announced). For good or bad, the craze is not nearly over, and it’s essential that parents, educators, and mentors get on board with how to talk to kids about this show.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
The background
For those of you who do not yet know the plotline of the show, 13 Reasons Why, based on the 2007 novel by Jay Asher, focuses on the suicide of a high schooler named Hannah Baker. The 13-episode show takes place two weeks after her death, when a friend of hers, Clay Jensen, who was in love with Hannah, finds a mysterious packaged on his porch. Inside are cassette tapes, recorded by Hannah, each naming a person who contributed to her tragic death. These tapes essentially act as Hannah’s suicide note, with her instructions being that each person implicated on the tapes must listen to them to the end, and then pass them onto the next person mentioned.
The show details Hannah’s struggle with bullying among her friends, rape, depression, slut shaming, and even a graphic depiction of her suicide. And it is these extreme elements that draw the conflict about the message this show is really portraying to its audience, mainly teens and young adults.
The plus side
On one side, some argue that 13 Reasons Why takes on an extraordinary task by discussing, in great detail, topics that are often stigmatized, ignored, or swept under the rug. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, executive producer Selena Gomez explained that the show’s goal was to increase conversations about these issues, as they are not easy ones to talk about. In defense of the show’s graphic nature, Dylan Minnette, who plays Clay, explains that the only way to drive home the tragic nature of Hannah’s circumstances is “to break your heart because that’s real life.” Some have also argued that Hannah’s character acts as an example for how to identify warning signs of someone considering suicide.
It is also worth noting how the show gives the same weight to everything that happens to Hannah, which contribute to her ultimate decision to take her own life. For example, Hannah endures humiliation and sadness following an instance of slut shaming after a former friend of hers makes a list of Best of/Worst of in their class, and names Hannah “Best Butt.” From then on, people constantly tease her about this, and she even loses another close friend. This gossip ends up contributing equally to Hannah’s death as some of the other truly terrible things that happen to her. For many teens, this is exactly how they feel. You can never predict the impact something will have on someone’s self-esteem, even if it seems small at the time, and the show touches on that well.
It’s worth noting here that this should be a strong talking point with your girl if she’s watching:
- How does she feel that in the show, the same weight seems to be given to having nasty gossip posted online about one’s self as it is to getting raped?
- They are both unquestionably awful; do they belong in the same category?
The down side
Despite intentions expressed by the show’s creators, many people, including mental health professionals, have voiced strong concerns about its actual impact on viewers. Currently, over 50 research studies exist that analyze how the media’s coverage of suicide impacts public health, and each has found that when suicide is discussed in particular ways, suicide rates can increase. In order to expose more media outlets to the challenges of discussing suicide, ReportingOnSuicide.org has listed helpful recommendations about dos and don’ts, including not to sensationalize or glamorize the suicide, not to discuss contents of the suicide note, if there is one, and not to describe the suicide method.
13 Reasons Why disobeys all of these rules and more listed on the site, leaving many experts to fear an increase of deaths by suicide, especially among young people. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death for Americans nationwide, yet the third among teenagers. 13 Reasons Why depicts suicide as a coping mechanism for Hannah, a way for her to get revenge and control over those who have hurt her, and to portray her fictional situation as the norm puts struggling teens at risk. According to John Mayer, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who works with teens at risk for suicide, “When we are [teenagers], our coping mechanisms are not developed, so we are left to rely on primitive defense mechanisms and our most primitive is avoidance. Suicide is the ultimate act of avoidance—avoiding life.” By sensationalizing the act as 13 Reasons Why does, it may put suicide on the table as a real possibility for someone in crisis.
All this said, 13 Reasons Why is obviously an incredibly popular novel and show and given that it has recently been renewed for a second season, the buzz is going to continue. Whether or not you want your girl to watch the show, its popularity can be used as an opportunity to have an open conversation with her about challenging, important topics that may not have come up otherwise.
TRY THIS:
- If your girl wants to watch the show, try watching it with her, and discuss what you think the show does well, or poorly. Note: the show can be very challenging to watch at times, so if you choose to watch, have a plan to take breaks to avoid bingeing.
- Ask your girl what she thinks of how Hannah is treated, and if she’s ever seen anyone at her school treated in a similar way. Talk together about what the best ways to help would look like. Make sure she knows that just being there to listen to someone who needs it can make a huge difference.
- Ask her who she would turn to for help, and make sure she lists someone who is a non-parent, like a teacher, coach, or friend. Also ensure she has access to the appropriate emergency contact information in case someone she knows is in crisis.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Emma Everett is a junior at Boston University studying Advertising with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She was a MEDIAGIRLS teacher, and ran the Boston Marathon.
Michelle Cove is the Executive Director of MEDIAGIRLS®, a nonprofit organization that teaches girls how to critique the way girls and women are portrayed in pop culture with an emphasis on creating empowering content.
She is also an award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and author whose projects have been featured on numerous national platforms including “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Katie Couric’s talk show “Katie,” “The Today Show,” The Washington Post, and The New York Times.
Visit www.mediagirls.org to learn more.
Comments 1
Jhoei
My nieces and nephews have watched 13 reasons why and they’ve been talking about it. I happen to overhear them talking on a family gathering and got very curious so I researched about what the story is about and have been hearing some stories that it is about suicides. Thankfully my nieces and nephews do not get affected by it like some stories I hear.