In case you didn't know, season two of "13 Reasons Why" just hit Netflix. Similar to the first season, there's a lot of interest. There are people, myself included, that can't stop binge-watching, but much like the first season, there is some backlash. Some of the most common comments I've seen are that this show romanticizes suicide and that it's too graphic.
While I understand that this show might not be suitable for people who may relate or that can't stomach watching some of these scenes, I think it's important that this show exists for one reason:

"13 Reasons Why" shows the reality of these tragedies and they don't shy away from it.

There are plenty of warnings about the series. It warns about the sexual violence and the graphic topics that it tackles. It gives viewers warnings from the cast themselves and websites to visit if they want help. This isn't an episode of "Law and Order" where they lead you up to the moment of death or rape and just leave you to assume what happened.

Watching Hannah commit suicide in the first season was not only heartbreaking, but graphic. I agree with that wholeheartedly. It showed the struggle of how suicide affects friends and family, but it also showed the thoughts from the victim's perspective.

Seeing not only her but also Jessica get raped made me want to vomit. And anytime Bryce's face pops up on my screen, I want to punch it.

This needs to be out there. It's disgusting, it makes your stomach hurt, and it makes you uncomfortable, but this is what the world needs to see. We live in a world where women and men are victims of sexual abuse, depression is a struggle, figuring out your sexuality is a hard process, and bullying is alive and well. While we might see articles or news reports on some of these topics, a lot of people can simply sit there and say "I can't even imagine what it's like to go through that".

"13 Reasons Why" doesn't give you the chance to leave it up to the imagination. It throws it right in your face and lets you see it at its rawest form. It raises awareness for these very real, unfortunate tragedies that are happening every day – whether we know it or not. It lets the individuals that struggle know they're not alone. It gives them a voice. It shatters your heart, but it's supposed to do that.

Sure, you don't have to agree with the way it's handled. I've seen arguments that say Hannah was too dramatic and she shouldn't be placing her decision on other people. I'm not saying you have to agree with the decision, but I am saying that this show wouldn't have the same impact if it were censored.

So if this show isn't the one for you, it's completely understandable. It's tough to stomach at a lot of parts, but "13 Reasons Why" couldn't have come along at a better time. In my opinion, I think it's time we take a page out of its book and stop shying away from the issues and confront them head on.