(no subject)

[becomingkate]

 So, season 2 of 13 Reasons Why is out today, and I know of many people who are refusing to watch it. Recently I had an interaction with someone on twitter who I'd never talked to before because she saw a comment I made on how I don't think 13RW romanticized suicide. She explained to me that the way it was portrayed, it looks like the main character, Hannah, who killed herself, wasn't heard until she died. And I see her point. None of the things that happened to Hannah were brought to light until after she made the tapes, and released them prior to her suicide.

However, I do not think this is a prime or even a good example of what happens. This is entertainment. And I understand middle schoolers and high schoolers are reading and watching this and might think that it is an accurate representation of what would happen to someone who was bullied and abused like Hannah was. This is where adult involvement in what our kids are watching and reading is so important.

If I knew of a child or teen who watched/read this, I would tell them: the adults in her life were negligent. Even her parents were too busy for her. Her school counselor was painfully unaware of what to do in the situation. But: There are people who care. Here is a list of websites, phone numbers, facilities, where you can go and talk to any number of people who are there to listen and help you.

There is no part of the show where she goes to someone who helps her. Everyone turns their back, is unaware of the issues, or betrays Hannah's trust. It's an awful story. BUT IT IS NOT A TYPICAL STORY OF HOW THINGS WOULD GO. It's sensationalized entertainment. It's a soap opera. If you're looking for an after school special where she goes and gets help and lives a happy, successful life, 13RW is not it.

You can't take one example of a situation and boycott it because it's inaccurate. It's one story. One representation. And I think that the backlash against it has helped open the communication so that people like me who didn't understand the problem with it can talk to people and get a new perspective. I encouraged that person who talked to me on twitter to keep speaking out against it so people can understand why it's problematic.

 

I know that kids and teens and even adults don't all critically think about things and they accept fiction as truth, but I don't think that's the storyteller's problem. That would be like if horror movies were banned because they make people not want to go to summer camp, sleep, or buy a doll.

So, I understand why you wouldn't want to watch 13RW because it's triggery or you feel it's badly portrayed. That's okay! And I'm glad I have a better understanding of its problems. But I'll still be watching it because I think in order to understand a problem you have to look at all sides of it, good and bad.

I just went to see what tag I put on my entries last year about the first season, and found a bunch under the television tag. You can go read those, if you want.