Selena Gomez Responds to Critics of ’13 Reasons Why’

There’s no doubt that the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why is the most talked about program on the streaming service today with many people (including myself) thinking the show was really well done, and others feeling it glamourizes suicide and mental illness.

The basic premise of the show is this: high school teenager Hannah Baker commits suicide and leaves a series of cassette tapes for her classmates to listen to so they can understand the reasons why she killed herself; Selena Gomez is an executive producer on the show.

Selena spoke to the Associated Press this week and addressed criticism of the show saying, “We stayed very true to the book and initially what Jay Asher created, [which] was a beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story, and I think that’s what we wanted to do.”

She added, “We wanted to do it justice and, yeah, [the backlash is] going to come no matter what,” the actress added. “It’s not an easy subject to talk about, but I’m very fortunate with how it’s doing and I’m overwhelmed, very proud of it.”

Selena isn’t the only person from the show to address the controversy. Writer Nic Sheff told Vanity Fair, “Facing these issues head-on—talking about them, being open about them—will always be our best defense against losing another life. I’m proud to be a part of a television series that is forcing us to have these conversations, because silence really does equal death.”

The criticism has been so far reaching that even schools have gone ahead and banned the series.

In fact, according to an article on FLARE.com, “After multiple Canadian school boards released information warning about the potentially damaging impact of the Netflix show, the Ontario Ministry of Education has now told educators not to show 13 Reasons Why in classrooms. According to Metro News, a memo sent to Ontario schools cited the fact that the show’s graphic portrayal of suicide, and the way that it seems to romanticize Hannah’s story, could be triggering for vulnerable teens. “Incidents of self-harm can increase after media portrayals of suicide,” the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board stated in a post on their website. “We do not want to contribute to this.” Educators have also been sent guidelines for how to discuss issues with the series, and answer questions and concerns raised by students.”

What are your thoughts on 13 Reasons Why?