Everywhere we go there is something hidden; everyone happens to have a secret. Don't lie; I know that you have one too. What are you hiding?

Since the release of "13 Reasons Why" on Netflix, there has been an increase of news revolving around rape, drugs and even suicide. The news tends to go two ways: either the series glorifies taboo topics or it raises awareness to troubled children. For me to be able to truly give my opinion about the show, I binge-watched the show to see how the show tries to bring these subjects to light.

When I first started watching the show, I thought that it would mostly revolve around the students trying to cope with the recent death of their friend and classmate. Even though the show does go into this in a way, it mostly focuses on the story of the dead friend, Hannah, who left cassette tapes that tell her story.

Within her narration, we see the truth unfold through Clay, a friend, as he listens to her tapes. What we learn through Clay is that Hannah was going through a lot at school. From gaining a lot of attention from guys for things she hasn’t done to not being able to have a good friend because of the rumors about her throughout the school.

Hannah felt alone. Even though the show unveils that she did try to seek help for the issues that she experienced, she didn’t get the solution she was looking for. Instead, she felt that it was her fault for becoming a victim. In a way, this show brings light the struggle of many victims of abuse and rape. How can you get out of your situation if you’re going to be pinned the blame of your abuse and rape? Regardless of your situation, it isn’t your fault that you are a victim of abuse/rape despite what other people say.

Although has received a lot of backlash, I believe that many people can relate to the series in one of many ways. We all know that everyone has their own lives, but within their lives, they may have a tragic memory that doesn’t want to be shared.

I know that I started acting differently since I watched “13 Reason Why”, but is this how the show affected others? Many people want to blame the show for the increase of suicide and rape. While you place the blame on the show maybe you should take a second to look at those affected by the show. There might be more to them than you think.

In the end, we must all acknowledge that the things we do to others can and will affect them in one way or another. It isn't up to us to decide whether or not our actions are long lasting, but let's try to make sure that we are not the cause of somebody's undoing.