If you have not yet heard about this Netflix original, "Thirteen Reasons Why," then I understand, but you are definitely missing out, because it talks about numerous major issues in today's society. This show was released pretty recently onto Netflix, on March 31st, 2017, and is originally based off a book, published in 2007, under the same name. The plot of the story, is that a Junior in High school, Hannah, commits suicide and she leaves behind a set of 13 tapes, each one talking about a specific person that contributed to her committing suicide, and the story shows the repercussions of these tapes. Through this story many issues are brought up and shown without hesitation or censoring, and these are the reasons that you must watch 13 Reasons Why right now on Netflix.
1. It shows depression as something real, not just as something that should be joked about
In today's society, depression is something that definitely is getting a lot more light put on it than it did in the past, but we still have a lot left to go before we can help those experiencing depression. This show very clearly shows depression in numerous ways, it shows those people who are blatantly sad and everyone can tell that they are depressed, to showing people who are very clearly depressed but they don't show it, they act happy, they act like they're doing great around other people, but then proceed to go home later that day and cry themselves asleep, Depression isn't a joke and this show shows the repercussions that depression can cause.
2. It normalizes being LGBT
Overall, though this show does has a very dark theme and many dark aspects, there are some lights to be found in that darkness. One of these lights is the fact that it shows that being gay or lesbian is part of everyday life. Media these days, and our society, in general, has become a whole lot more accepting these days in terms of the LGBT community and that is a major step, but the community still has a long way to go, and this show clearly shows that being gay shouldn't be something that people should be afraid of admitting and it deals with the issues that come with coming out, though it doesn't make a huge deal of it, it just very easily ties it in with the story.
3. It shows that people don't always realize how much their words effect others
I bet everyone heard the phrase, "Sticks and Stones May Break your bones but words will never hurt me" while growing up because this is a very common phrase told by parents to their children. This phrase is basically inferring that words don't mean much and that they can't hurt you, but this a lie, and this show elaborates on why, because you may be joking about something, and think that the other person understands that you're joking, but words hurt, the other person may not mention how the words make them feel but they could seriously hurt someone, and 13 Reasons Why paints a picture of how jokes can really affect people.
4. It shows how quickly and easily people can change
One key thing that can be seen from this show is how quickly a person can change, a great deal of the story involves flashbacks to when the main character, Hannah, was alive and it is over a process over less than a year and a half, and during this time the main characters and their lives are all over the place. It shows that life isn't always something that can be predicted and a key point that is shown, is the fact that one day your life could be going perfect and then with a snap of the fingers it could go to complete hell.
5. High school isn't smiles and happiness
This story centers around high school kids and it shows the blunt of what high school actually is. High school isn't High School musical or the Breakfast Club or anything like that, high school kids are terrible people, and often times there aren't happy endings to high school. There isn't always a handsome hunk to save the day, sometimes you just have to get through the hell, and not everyone gets through it.
6. Shows the reality of mental illness
Yes, this point connects with the point of showing Depression as a real thing, but the important thing about this, is that the show talks about more than depression, it talks anxiety a great deal. One of the key characters in this story struggles with major anxiety and it affects a lot of his life decisions, as it does numerous in real life, and it shows people who don't struggle with these illnesses that they're real and not just "in someone's head."
7. Doesn't sugarcoat life
This show doesn't sugarcoat life, it lays it all out on the table and doesn't stop, at times, yes, it does get graphic, but life is graphic, you don't have someone blocking you from seeing certain things, especially as adults. This show isn't for kids, that's why it gives a warning before certain episodes, but if you're going to watch a show about a girl committing suicide, do you expect for it not to get graphic? Do expect for a a pg show where nothing bad is shown? No, it's suicide, it gets graphic, and if you sugarcoat it, then you take out the full impact.
8. Shows the affects of suicide
9. The dangers of substance abuse
This one isn't as much of a prevalent issue shown in the show, but it's still shown in the story line of one of the characters, who instead of dealing with their problems, turns to alcohol, because it helps them from thinking about what they did, and at times it gets so bad that they begin even drinking at school. It shows that you can't just hide behind things that make you feel good, because it will quickly get out of hand.
10. Don't listen to everything that you hear
Rumors, in high school, that's how most people knew about others lives, and this show, shows how dangerous rumors can actually be. Early on, you find out how rumors completely ruined this girl's life, because even though it started out as something small, it was blown completely out of proportion that started out the end of this girls life. It just shows that rumors aren't just words, they can ruin someone's life.
11. That rape isn't a joke, and that it needs to be talked about
This point is one of the most important points on this list, because it plays a major part in the end of the series and it plays a major part in everyday life. Rape is a very major issue in today's society partly because victim blaming is a major thing and that is also a key topic talked about in the show.
12. To always take responsibility for ones actions, no matter how scary
Throughout the show, the viewer is shown the results of what can happen if someone doesn't take responsibility for things that they do, then there can be serious consequences and this show shows those consequences.
13. Lastly, people don't commit suicide "just for attention"
During this show, it is said numerous times that Hannah killed herself for attention and this show throws that idea out of the window. It shows you all of the reasons why this girl ended her life and it shows that she just wanted to end it all, people don't commit commit suicide for attention and this show clearly shows how true this is.
What I'm saying is that this show shows the intensity of life and that everyone needs to watch it because it definitely helps people to view life in a way that they never even thought about.
Photo by 
