Selena Gomez Defends ’13 Reasons Why,’ Netflix Drama About Teen Suicide

13 Reasons Why, Netflix’s new drama about a teen’s suicide and a classmates journey to figure out why she did it, has left some worried that it sends the wrong message. Across the world, schools and mental health experts have warned that the show may glorify and romanticize suicide in a way that could inspire copy-cat behavior among vulnerable teens. 13 Reasons Why‘s creators have stood firm that the show was created to be helpful and inspiring to teens who feel they don’t have a voice. The latest to join the chorus of defenders is Selena Gomez, one of the show’s executive producers.

Gomez, who is both an actor and a musician, has defended the show and made it clear that its creators never intended to cause any harm or offense.

“We stayed very true to the book and that’s initially what Jay Asher created, was a beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story, and I think that’s what we wanted to do,” Gomez told reporters about the show.

“We wanted to do [the book] justice and yeah, [the backlash is] going to come no matter what. It’s not an easy subject to talk about but I am very fortunate with how it’s doing and I’m overwhelmed, very proud of it.”

Before the backlash had even begun, Gomez had recorded a 29-minute video informing viewers about suicide prevention and ways to get help. The video appears after the last episode of the show.

You can watch the trailer for the series below.