Comments and queries for the week of July 22

What Degrassi means to me? Um, I’m effin’ Snake. Duh.

Where to begin? Well I live in the States in a pretty normal middle-class Christian family, so when I started watching Degrassi at about 13 it was scandalous. Now I am 17 and have graduated from high school and junior college and I have come out mostly intact and I have to thank Degrassi for some portion of that.

Like I mentioned, I was raised in a religious family so some (more like most) of the topics that Degrassi was covering were things that I was running into from periods to as “Snake” put it, boners. I was dealing with growing up in a family who wasn’t as open in talking about all of the not-so-pretty sides of being a teenager. And not even just the not pretty but that stuff that you never want to admit to your parents that you are dealing with.

Now I can say I have never been pregnant or diagnosed with a mental illness, but I have survived the pressures of high school and am thankful it was just in time. Finding out that Degrassi would no longer be airing in the U.S. was a sad thought. It was a show that gave the honest truth and with that truth it gave an honest outcome. When Paige got raped and Jenna got pregnant there were long -erm repercussions that effected them for much longer than an episode or two, but it was something that their character had to deal with for the rest of their time in the show. Which was a factor that was true in real life and something that mainstream Hollywood has not been able to capture or has not been willing to. I am forever grateful to those who have participated in the prolonging of Degrassi for the teens of today and the future. It was a pleasure growing up with you. —Kaile

I live in the States as well and Degrassi was a great show! I’m from the years when Degreassi: The Next Generation was on (Emma, Manny, Paige, Marco, etc.) and to me that was the BEST seasons Degrassi has ever had! They really helped me learn and grow and gave me hope as I went through school, so thank you Degrassi and, honestly, I hope you’re still around on Netflix or picked back up on TV whenever I have kids old enough to watch! —Love

If Canada’s known for delicious poutine and realistic portrayals of teenage life, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Also, count me out of the modern dating game if dick pics are part of the process. —Shannon

 

 

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