I was invited to join a debate on Woman’s Hour recently which was broadcast today. It wasn’t politics this time though. We were debating the controversy surrounding the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why.
I was invited to take part after the producer spotted my Huffington Post piece discussing the show. I think it was an excellent show for parents and peers, hitting us with all the challenges that teenagers might have to face. However, I didn’t feel it was as good for those who are struggling with mental illness, as it didn’t offer much hope. Additionally, it focussed on giving a voice to the person who had taken their own life, and therefore the finality of the situation didn’t really transpire. Hannah still had a voice.
I was joined by blogger Kate Delaney, who, as somebody (much) younger than me, argued that it encouraged us to have conversations about something that isn’t talked about enough, and brought teenage issues into the spotlight. You can also read Kate’s Huffington Post piece here.
Kate and I also chatted with Alice Newton from the charity Papyrus who felt that the depiction of suicide in the final episode and the themes of revenge were not particularly responsible.
Fancy a listen to the interview? Click this link to hear the full debate with presenter Jane Garvey.
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