Conversing About Degrassi

Degrassi: The Next Generation, is a show that portrays realistic issues of the teenage world. It’s not falsehood or the typical cliche high school life that other shows may portray. It depicts issues such as Anorexia, Bulimeia, Acquring a sexual identity and et cetera. It’s filled with so much drama but drama that makes us want to keep watching. The characters, every viewer can find them selves relating to one of the them.

Parents should watch this show with their children because after watching an episode they can have a discussion. Alert their children on the dangers of sex, tell them to use protection and be alert on  whom their partner is. For example, one of the characters, Emma Nelson, during her depression and her alienation from herself, she lost her virginity to Jay Hogart. Jay Hogart, prior to his cardinal relationship with Emma, has had sexual intercourse with many girls. He was cheating on his rebellious, equally alike girlfriend, Alex. Anyways, after she regained consciousness of herself she had been diagnosed with Gonorrhea. All of that was because she didn’t use protection and slept with someone who wasn’t pure.

Another example is Liberty Van Zandt, an braniac who is a straight A student in Degrassi. She had sex with her adorable cute comedic boyfriend JT Yorke and found out she was pregnant. She didn’t get the baby aborted like any teen would. She stuck the pregnancy out for the whole 9 months. But she decided that she would be better off with an adoption. She gave the baby away but after she gave up the baby she was sad, depressed and missed her baby.

Another discussion that can be brought up is sexual identity. Whether your child is gay or straight. One character that dealt with this situation is Marco Del Rossi, a cool guy who befriends Ellie Nash and Paige Michalchuk. He decided he was gay around the second season. He was dating Ellie and suddenly the thought of him being gay was on his mind. But he finally decided he was gay and Ellie accepted him. But Ellie pretended to be his girlfriend so nobody would figure out he was gay. But Ellie was getting tired of this pretend dating thing and she told them that they broke up. Spinner tries to set Marco with Hazel but Marco rejects her. Spinner wants to know why he won’t go out with Hazel and Marco finally came out the closet. Thought it would’ve been all good well you’re wrong. Spinner started giving Marco the cold shoulder. His parents were later to find out the truth now you’d expect he’d be kicked out the house well he wasn’t. His parents ended up accepting him.

Another character that went through this issue was Alex Nunez, a rebellious teen who has dated the man whore Jay Hogart. But in season 5 she finds herself amorously attracted to Paige Michalchuk. Paige Michalchuk is the popular mean girl whose straight. I didn’t even know that Alex thought of Paige that way till she kissed her in “The Lexicon of Love.” Alex was suprised to see Paige move back and walk away and upset to see her completely wierded out by this. Paige was letting the people get in the way but after a little advice from the director Kevin Smith she went after Alex. This relationship only lasted for 7 episodes.

Another discussion that can brought up is rape. There were 2 different types of rape between 2 different characters. Paige Michalchuk was the first character in Degrassi to get raped. She went to a party and got raped by Dean. Darcy Edwards, a good christian girl who promised to stay pure till marriage, went to a ski trip and found herself awaken naked next to her boyfriend Peter Stone the only thing is Peter didn’t have sex but Darcy did. The worst part is she doesn’t know who it was. She went through the depression stage and when she finally came out and admitted she was raped she started feeling good and going back to the same Darcy.

Degrassi is show filled with numerous drama. It doesn’t portray the lives of High Students but it does portray realism in a way. It’s the best show I’ve ever watched in my entire life.