Degrassi is a show that has been on Canadian (and USA) TV screens for decades now. It premiered in the late 80’s with Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, the series ended in the early 90’s. Fast forward to 2001, Degrassi: Next Generation premiered. Degrassi: Next Generation is synonymous with WTF moments and of course Drake. In many ways, Degrassi is underrated, it doesn’t get the credit it truly deserves. During the early 2000’s no other teen show was talking about LGBT+ issues, eating disorders, school shootings and domestic violence. Degrassi premiered and it shook the world up. It gave a real glimpse into high school and teenage life. For the first time, we were seeing teens living realistic and relatable lives. Friend drama, embracing your inner slut, eating disorders and STD’s. Degrassi:Next Generation was very controversial and it was here to stay. I remember sneaking late at night to watch Degrassi because my parents wouldn’t allow me to. Being a child and watching Degrassi, I didn’t understand the importance of the subjects they talked about. If you’re into social justice, Degrassi is a great show to watch. Although Degrassi:Next Generation ended this year, they have decided to continue the franchise with Degrassi:Next Class. You can binge watch it on Netflix starting January 15, 2016. In the meantime, let’s look back at the most important moments in Degrassi history.
Emma’s Eating Disorder
During season 5, Emma developed an eating disorder that took over her life. She exercised a lot and cut back on meals. This moment was very important because many teenagers suffer from eating disorders. It’s not only teenagers but adults too. Eating disorders are not generally talked about a lot in media, so many assume not many people suffer from it, but it affects millions.
Manny Goes Pro-Hoe
During season 3, Manny was tired of being ‘adorable’. She wanted to be sexy. So she put on her thong and strutted the Degrassi high hallways. She got all the attention she wanted. Now this moment is important because society shames woman for being sexual. It’s important for woman to embrace their inner hoe and take back their sexuality.
Marco Comes Out
During season 3, our resident sassy sweetheart Marco came out to Spinner. For a while, he was dating Ellie, so not many people suspected he was gay. Marco coming out was one of the most important moments because at the time, many teen shows didn’t have gay representation.
Manny Gets An Abortion
For many people, Manny was the person they loved the most on Degrassi. She was lovable and fearless. In season 3, Manny finds out that she is pregnant with Craig’s baby. At only 14, Manny had a hard decision. Now, the decision about abortion is a very controversial one. So controversial that the USA didn’t air this episode for years. Ultimately, Manny decided to get an abortion. Woman should be allowed to be pro-choice.
Paige Gets Raped
During season 2, Paige meets an older guy named Dean. She had a crush on him and eventually struck up a conversation with him at a party. She invited him to go upstairs where he asked if she wanted to have sex. She declined and he raped her. Paige was ashamed and hurt. She didn’t tell many of her friends or report it until later on. This moment is very important because it teaches about the importance of consent, and how it is never the fault of the rape victim. Dean was wrong for assuming because Paige wanted him, he could have sex with her. He took advantage of a young girl. Consent can change before sex, and during sex.
Jimmy Gets Shot
During season 4, Rick was the outcast, for good reason. In season 3, he put his girlfriend Terri in a coma. He returns back to Degrassi High and was met with hostility from the Degrassi gang. Rick finally reached his breaking point and bought a gun to school. This is where he shot Jimmy by accident because he thought Jimmy was the one who egged him, when it was actually spinner. This moment is important because many people like to joke about school shootings but they’re serious. During this time is when school shootings were first becoming a topic the media talked about.
Craig Gets Diagnosed
Since season 1, Craig couldn’t catch a break. His father was abusive and would beat him regularly. This prompted Craig to run away many times. Craig’s father eventually died (which was sad kinda). Now, fast forward to season 4. Craig starts acting impulsively. Running away from home, trashing hotels and crashing Ashley’s dad’s wedding. This made everyone become concerned for Craig. We later found out that he was bi-polar. This moment was so important because this was really one of the first times mental illness was mentioned on a teen television show! It removed the stigmas slightly for teenagers. It showed that teens can suffer from mental disorders.
Adam’s Debut
In season 10, we were introduced to lovable Adam Torres. His brother was hot too. Normally, we do not see a lot of transgender characters on TV, so this was an amazing moment. Sadly a couple seasons later Adam is killed off because he was texting and driving. Even still, this was great transgender representation.
JT and Liberty Have A Baby
The pairing of Liberty and JT was one of the most shocking ones! Liberty was a book smart girl with a lot of goals for herself, while JT was JT.. lovable but JT. In season 5, Liberty found out she was pregnant with JT’s baby. They ended up deciding to give it up for adoption. A very hard moment. We have to acknowledge teen pregnancy, but I don’t think the media has an issue with that (Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant). Pregnancy for teenagers makes you rethink your life goals because now you have to care for someone else. Sadly, a few seasons later JT gets murdered and Liberty goes on to go to a very good college.
Jane’s Secret
In season 8, Jane’s mother and brother want Jane’s father back in their lives. Jane doesn’t. She can’t decide why, but she has a feeling. Jane begins to have flashbacks of her father coming into her room. She realizes that her father sexually abused her. Teen shows do not talk about sexual abuse, especially within the family. This moment was very important because it was relatable to many people.
STD From Oral?!
Now, Emma has had many moments in Degrassi history so it’s hard to pick the best ones. This is one of them. For a time, Emma had a rebellious phase. Getting into a sketchy van with Jay (resident outcast and bad boy) was one of those moments in the phase. Emma had oral sex with Jay and contracted an STD. STD’s are ignored by many teens these days, we don’t talk about them much but they are VERY common.
You can binge watch old seasons here on Degrassi Youtube
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