13 Reasons Why

 

This new Netflix Series is something people can't seem to be talking about and for good reason. It's thought-provoking and tells a story that very much needs to be told. Before I get into the nitty-gritty of this show and how I feel about the tapes, I must address the fact that this show was very hard for me to get through on a personal level. I am going to lay these facts out there not because I want attention or for people to feel sorry for me, but to address the magnitude of sexual violence and how much it seeps into every part of you. You can recover, but it will always be a part of you. I am not going to lie and say that I have never contemplated suicide I have. But, for the same reasons I hated how the Reign rape sl was framed, I was glad that they addressed the rapes in question. It wasn't used as a plot point to move along a love triangle or to create angst for a couple, but it addressed the very real experiences that many young women face today. Hannah was slutshamed and eventually raped before eventually taking her life. Her counselor told her to either have hard facts or get over it. I think for me that was the most shocking part of his whole show-- the suicide wasn't all that graphic or triggering for me as an individual, but the rape scenes were. The way they focused in on Hannah's face during her rape was so heartbreaking that it tore into me, but what was even more horrific for me was how Mr. Porter treated her afterwards. It brought back the very nightmare of what I had endured after I finally told someone. 

The whole idea that she had these tapes were she indicted all these people for big and small crimes was disturbing and annoying to me at first until I got to the last episode and I suddenly understood why she did it? She needed to understand how she got to where she was and if she could stop herself from doing the inevitable. Did the others all deserve to get those tapes?Some yes, others no. But, it was her truth to tell and tell it she did. I am still a little bothered that a lot of Hannah's story circled around Clay and his feelings for her. But, the tapes helped in restructuring the pov to Hannah's. 

I really didn't appreciate the show trying to make me feel sorry for Justin. I felt 0 empathy for him. He allowed his girlfriend to be raped and then hid hit from her all in the name of protecting her. Justin was a grade A Asshole. Bryce was also typical and if there is  season 2, I hope they stick it to the asshole real good. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the show for what it was: a chilling exploration into the ramifications of bullying, sexual violence and suicide.