'13 Reasons Why': Why Some People Think Netflix's Teen Suicide Drama Should Be Banned
Netflix's teen drama "13 Reasons Why" has become the streaming service's most controversial TV series yet for its depiction of a high school student's suicide and the causes that contributed to it.
"13 Reasons Why" is Netflix's dramatization of the 2007 novel written by Jay Asher. It was adapted for the streaming service by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Brian Yorkey and was released on March 31.
The series focuses on the suicide of high school student Hannah Baker, who is portrayed by Katherine Langford. Before she died, Hannah recorded a series of tapes explaining the circumstances that led to her decision to end her life.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
While attending school, Hanna had gone through several teenage traumas. She became the subject of rumors regarding her sexual relations with one of the school's popular boys. She also had falling out with her best friends and had her trust broken.
"13 Reasons Why" has been the subject of controversy in different parts of the world, particularly the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
One of the reasons why many people are worried about the dangers of showing the TV series to young viewers is that it shows Hannah's suicide in detail. This has led to fears that such scenes could inspire "copycat" suicide attempts by teenagers who watched or heard about the show.
Some people are not inclined to support the TV series because it allegedly oversimplifies the causes or perceived triggers for suicide, and this will, in turn, mislead the audience as the show is unlikely to accurately reflect the complexity of suicide.
According to a report from Syracuse.com, psychologist Dan Reidenberg, executive director of Suicide Awareness Voice of Education, was contacted by Netflix for some guidance in developing the series. Instead, he advised them not to proceed with the project.
"But that wasn't an option," Reidenberg said. "That was made very clear to me."
Netflix, on the other hand, issued a statement saying that "13 Reasons Why" has helped teens discuss complex topics including suicide and rape.
"We've heard from our members that '13 Reasons Why' has opened up a dialogue among parents, teens, schools and mental health advocates around the intense themes and difficult topics depicted in the show," the streaming service company said.
