Rant Time 4

"13 Reasons Why" Defamation|Rant Time

I cannot tell you how much I love this show. I cannot begin to express my appreciation for it.

There's a special place in my heart for 13 Reasons Why. I have not yet read the book, but the show is absolutely phenomenal. I'm still trying to catch up on season two because my life has been up and down and around lately, but season one was the most beautiful thing I have seen.

My mom got me started on it. And I will say, in all honesty, that I fell for those Tumblr posts about "triggers" and shit. I used to be suicidal. I used to hurt myself. I used to wish that the universe would give me a sign to die. So I treaded lightly with this show.

I should have never let those posts fool me for so long. This does not go to say that it's not triggering to some people. I'm fully aware that there are people who will off themselves if they see some of the content in 13 Reasons Why. I'm aware.

But I took a chance, and I fucking fell in love. I was pissed that the world and those select few people, despite there being a content warning on Netflix plus a warning coming straight from the actors in the intro of the first episode, tried to defame this beautiful show and turn it into something evil so no one would watch it.

I'm pissed at myself for being weak and scared. But I'm a little smarter, a little braver. I took a chance and I'm happy I did. And I'm fine. You know why? Because I listened to the actors. They specifically warned me that what I was about to see is incredibly disturbing and may be triggering. I continued on. It was my choice.

In all honesty, I did not mean to rant here. I really wanted to show my love for this show. But I feel I must say this.

To everyone that's tried to get this show cancelled, to everyone that's attempted to defame it, to everyone that's tried to prevent people from watching it based on generalizations and pure ignorance, this is what I have to say to you.

Your heart is in the right place. You want to protect people. But you're doing it all fucking wrong. You know what helps people? The goddamn warnings. The actors themselves stood there and filmed a heartwarming warning to show they give a shit. Netflix has put up a content warning that you can open and read about the content. On top of that, in every episode with disturbing content (rape, suicide, etc.), it is specifically shown in a banner above once you start the episode.

And you want to say that nobody warns you? That people will fucking die if they see this? I have something for you. There is absolutely nothing you can do when there's clearly a "watch at your own risk" warning--several times--and someone watches it and something happens to them.

If you can't wrap your head around this, I'll put it in an analogy for you.

There's a pool or body of water that has a huge sign that reads "No lifeguard. Deep waters. Swim at your own risk." Everyone can see it. But then there's those few who can't swim or decide to be "brave" and dive in, fully knowing there's no way to save them if the worst happens. They almost drown and suffer from it. Or they do drown. So do we close down the pool because that one person decided not to heed the warnings? No.

I appreciate you warning people. But we need to be real. This is not the way the real world works. You will see harmful or triggering stuff in life, and you may not get a warning. It's how you deal with it that's important. It is not the world's fault that some things upset you. It is not the world's obligation to make everything safe for you.

If you have an issue where the content in 13 Reasons Why may be harmful to your life, heed the warnings. Do not watch it. If you do decide to watch it, that's on you. Stop trying to take this away from those of us who enjoy and appreciate it because you have an issue.

This is all coming from someone who was conflicted on watching it because of her past. I heeded the warnings and proceeded. I loved it. But if I offed or hurt myself because I saw something upsetting, that's on me. Not the show, not the plot, not the actors. Me.

This is not all about you. I'm all for warning people (although it's clearly stated, but whatever), but when you start saying shit about the show and trying to get it cancelled, I draw the fucking line. And I'm willing to bet none of you have seen the show. Because that's how it is. You hear something from someone and it just continues down the line until it hurts someone.

With that being said, I'm going to flip this around. I will tell you that 13 Reasons Why helped me. I wasn't in a very good place when I started watching it. But after seeing it, after watching Hannah Baker slice her wrists and bleed out in the water after being raped in a hot tub being and bullied and assaulted, when I saw her mom try to wake her up and hold her in her arms when she was clearly dead, it hit me.

This could have been me. I saw myself. And it hurt. I stopped and paused it. And then I thought how I was almost dead years ago. This show, this film, showed me what suicide does. What would happen to my mom? To my friends? To my family? I may not have a lot of people to love and definitely not many to love me back, but those who do love me, how could I do something like that to them? I couldn't.

I saw a beautiful girl, Hannah Baker, get raped, sexually assaulted, bullied, and mocked. And she committed suicide. This could be any one of us but no one is willing to see that. They just see it as "suicide? Rape? Let's get rid of this." So black and white.

Nobody thinks of the way this helps people. Nobody sees this as a way for people to get insight on what a life like Hannah's is like. To get to understand her pain. I do think parents need to see it, so they can know the warning signs and save their children. I want people to know what it's like, so they can save lives when they see things they shouldn't.

I was in a terrible point in my life when I watched it a few months ago. But I thought, why not give it a chance?

13 Reasons Why saved my life.

But no one cares. They care that it's too "triggering." And that's all. At least try to see the other point of view before you go and destroy something that could be beneficial. Just because it may be hurtful to some people is not a reason to get rid of it. There are warnings for that. You can get off your soapbox and quit trying to play life coach.

I love 13 Reasons Why and I have absolutely no shame or regrets. It saved my life. I could have been Hannah Baker if it weren't for it. I'm much better now that I saw, with my own eyes, the effects of suicide. It's never over.

Not long after I came to this conclusion, I got my first tattoo. It's a heart but the sides are arrows. I call it my Cycle of Love tattoo. I never stop loving. And there's someone out there who will love me. So I let it continue for them, and for myself.

I have never seen a show so beautifully made, so perfectly acted, as 13 Reasons Why. It's beautiful in all of its glory. It's everything I've wanted to be on a screen. The actors are incredible, the plot is perfect, and it all ties together in one to create a beautiful show.

So try to defame it. But I hope my words stick with you. Maybe you'll see that not everything revolves around you and those who think like you.

13 Reasons Why is going to have a third season. We won in the end. Don't fight it. Embrace it.

That is all you can do.

~

Sierra ⚡️