Degrassi

Degrassi has covered numerous topics that we teenagers deal with. Some characters have dealt with issues in different ways. Some of the issues portrayed were drug abuse, eating disorders, rape, family issues, sexual orientation, pregnancy, depression, love triangles, bullying, abusive relationships, sex, online predators, mental disorders, self injury and etc.

Pregnancy

There were 2 Degrassi characters that went through this dilemma, both were at different ages and both handled situation differently.

Manny Santos

Towards the middle of Season 3’s “Accidents Will Happen,” Manny understands that sex can lead to consequences. She realizes that when she misses her period and thinks she might be pregnant. She confided to Spike, whom gave her a pregnancy test, and it turns out she’s pregnant.

Manny was fortunate to have a stable support system, Craig and Emma. Craig, the father, was a little too supportive. I think he was supportive because he didn’t really have a stable family, and his fantasies of creating his own family left Manny unnerved. She realized that she wasn’t ready to have a child, so she gets an abortion. Craig wasn’t very pleased with that decision, but it was Manny’s decision. Of course that left Manny is a depressive state, but fortunately she had a good friend, J.T, to make her smile.

Liberty van Zandt

I couldn’t believe that this Straight A student whose parents are lawyers was pregnant. I couldn’t believe that her and J.T had sex. Honestly I didn’t think Liberty could be edgy.

In season 5’s “Foolin,” she had found out she was pregnant. Like Manny, J.T was supportive and promised to help take care of the baby even though they had broken up.

Liberty made the right decision of keeping the baby, and her and J.T got back together. J.T was being a responsible father by getting a job in a pharmacy, but does all that come crashing down when he starts selling drugs to Jay’s crew. Honestly, J.T wasn’t thinking of Liberty and how that would make her feel.

Liberty changes her mind and decides to give the baby up for adoption due to J.T and his drug overdose.

Liberty’s decision wasn’t exactly like Manny’s she went through with the pregnancy and then gave it up to people who would take care of the baby.

Sexual Orientation

3 characters in Degrassi were dealing with their sexuality, 2 handled it and 1 is still dealing with it.

Marco del Rossi

Marco came into Degrassi in season 3, he was a good-looking kid that had 2 girls fall for him. 1) Ellie Nash 2) Hazel Aden.

Marco went out with Ellie but viewed her as a friend; it was pretty obvious to Ellie that there was something wrong when he kept pulling away when they were making out. Marco came out to Ellie and Ellie said that she would pretend to be his girlfriend but not forever.

Marco finally came out in Season 3, though it was very hard for one person, Spinner, to deal with but eventually everybody was accepting. So, he dealt with like any other person he kept in for a while then eventually comes out.

Alex Nunez

We’re introduced to Alex in Season 3 as the rebellious girlfriend of Jay Hogart (who is her equal). She didn’t like Emma Nelson, they had a duel in the hallway (that was the first time I was actually afraid of Emma because she looked like she didn’t want to be messed with). She seemed like an evil chick but I believe somewhere inside that toughness she was caring and sweet. Like when she was running for president against, she could’ve thrown it out there that he was a fag but decided not to.

In season 5 “The Lexicon of Love,” we discover that Alex is a lesbian when she kisses Paige Michalchuk. Honestly, I thought Paige wasn’t gonna go for the relationship and that she was going to write Alex off. But, Paige tried this relationship and they were a cute couple. I respected this relationship.

Riley Stavros

It has been 2 seasons so far and this man has yet come out. He hasn’t shown people who the real Riley Stavros is. I don’t think he ever will. So far only 3 people know and that is Peter, Anya and Zane. He’s forking over a relationship because he’s afraid of what people will think. He needs to suck it up and come out already.

Rape

2 characters in Degrassi have dealt with being rape, both were two different types of rape and both dealt with it differently.

Paige Michalchuk

She goes to a party with Dean, a soccer player in Bardell, and she asks Dean to take her somewhere private, assuming that they’re going to make out, but he rapes her. At first Paige dealt with it the way any teenage girl would, keeping it quiet. But, eventually she goes to Ms. Sauve for counseling and presses charges. (Smart girl-Even though she didn’t win)

Darcy Edwards

She’s a good Christian girl who believes in chastity, she made a vow to God to stay a virgin till marriage. But all that goes out the window when she was raped in a ski trip. She did what an idiot would do which is leave her drink outside when she was in the bathroom. Someone at any second could’ve put a roofie in her drink and wait for her to fall asleep.

Darcy dealt with the situation like anybody would; she kept it to herself and went into a depressive state. She only told 3 people, Snake, Manny and Peter. Those “friends” should’ve been good friends and told the parents regardless of what Darcy says. But she finally came clean in Degrassi Goes Hollywood. Admitting it to the kids in Brat Camp. After coming clean she was back to regular Darcy.