Degrassi: Next Class Telling 'Very Important' Abortion Story in Season 3
Degrassi: Next Class is revisiting familiar territory — albeit with an updated perspective — when the Netflix drama returns for its third season on Friday.
As revealed in a new interview with the Canadian Press, pink blue-haired cheerleader Lola (played by Amanda Arcuri) will have an abortion in an episode titled “#IRegretNothing,” making her the fourth character in a Degrassi series to terminate a pregnancy.
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“It’s not like we are advocating, ‘Get pregnant, get an abortion,'” executive producer Linda Schuyler explains. “But we really felt that it was very important, particularly in this day and age when the abortion debate is coming back on the main stage, that we wanted to demystify it. … We’ve also done an equal number of stories of kids who get pregnant and make different choices.”
Per the interview, two key factors will make Lola’s experience different from previous instances of abortion in the Degrassi franchise: Not only will viewers be taken into the room with Lola when she has the procedure, but they’ll also see her make peace with the decision, rather than being haunted by it.
“Some girls will … cry for days after, and some will feel strong and feel liberated and feel like it wasn’t a big deal,” Arcuri adds. “I think it’s a good way to tell a story — that people react differently. Lola’s reaction is justified. It’s normal. It’s OK.”
Watch the chilling teaser for Season 3 below, then drop a comment with your thoughts on Lola’s big storyline.
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