On June 7 at 6:30 p.m. in Melnitz Hall at UCLA, an “Open Mind” discussion sponsored by UCLA’s Friends of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience aand Human Behavior, UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital Board of Advisors, and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, will focus on the controversial Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.”
Since its release on March 31, the Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why” has become one of the most talked-about shows of the year. Based on the 2007 novel by Jay Asher, "13 Reasons Why" revolves around a high school student who committed suicide after suffering a series of demoralizing circumstances, brought on by individuals at her school.
The storyline has gone viral on social media with tweets, shares and online think pieces. With its portrayal of a myriad of complex issues such as bullying, sexual assault and self-harm that includes a graphic scene of one character’s suicide, the popular Netflix series has stirred up a great deal of controversy and received criticism from many mental health professionals and parents who are concerned that the show glorifies and romanticizes teen suicide.
Others, like executive producer and pop star Selena Gomez, claim the show is doing just as was hoped — sparking conversation about teen suicide.
The panelists will include several experts on mental health. For more information about the speakers, look here. This event is free, but reservations are required. You can register for the event here. For any further questions, email wkelman@mednet.ucla.edu.