13 Reasons Why season 2 will not be impacted by Jay Asher misconduct allegations, say Netflix

The author was recently expelled from a writing society

'13 Reasons Why' author Jay Asher (ZIPI/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)

Netflix has addressed allegations of sexual misconduct against Jay Asher, the author of Thirteen Reasons Why, a novel the streaming service has adapted into a television show.

Reports only recently came to light claiming Asher had been expelled from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) last year, the organisation’s executive director claiming the best-selling writer had violated their harassment code.

“After we investigated, we felt that terminating his membership was the proper course of action,” Lin Oliver said.

“We have always been really sensitive to sexual harassment issues and have a zero tolerance policy, but clearly our policies haven’t prevented violations, so we’re taking this opportunity to take another look at our guidelines.”

A Netflix spokesperson has since confirmed that all ties with Asher have been cut, saying the writer has not been involved whatsoever with the show’s second season.

“Jay Asher was not involved in the second season of 13 Reasons Why,” they told The Wrap. “The upcoming season will not be impacted in any way.”

Asher has since responded publicly to the news, telling BuzzFeed News that he was not pushed out of SCBWI, but voluntarily left the organisation on his own accord.

“It’s very scary when you know people are just not going to believe you once you open your mouth,” Asher told the publication. “I feel very conflicted about it just because of what’s going on in the culture and who’s supposed to be believed and who’s not.”

The author claimed to feel “thrown under the bus” as the SCBWI had also said “the emails showed nothing.”

“I understand the predicament they’re in with everything going on and to want to protect themselves,” Asher continued. “I love the organisation, but they didn’t decide to push me out. It was my decision, even though [Oliver] said the email contained nothing that their organisation should have anything to do with.”

Asher’s career has already been impacted by the news: The Oklahoma Writers’ Federation has canceled their scheduled keynote speech set for May.