13 Reasons Why, Trash, and Why Ani Makes Me Sick
I like trash. Specifically, I like to hate watch a lot of trash shows and then fire off shady tweets about the piss poor writing as I go. For as long as I can remember, trash ass TV with shite writing was one of the things that kept me going. From Power Rangers and that series' lack of any real character development to completely nonsensical Riverdale, I am a trash stan but no trash show quite compares to the hot steaming pile of filth that is 13 Reasons Why. 13 Reasons why with the release of season 3, has proved once and for all why they should be crowned the most bullshit show on TV. In season 3 especially the character dialogue is confusing, the plot meanders needlessly, and SEVERAL actors are completely phoning it in. This alone would be excusable because, as I've previously mentioned, I love garbage but 13 reasons why veered hard left into the unacceptable lane and even I wasn't able to stomach what I was watching. Had this show focused on being a poorly written, over-sentimental teen drama and not a blistering mockery of it's only black girl to have more than a handful of lines a season (omg we miss you Sheri), I might have even had something nice to say.
Now, 13 reasons why is a problematic show and several unacceptable things happened this season. From the group adopting a school shooter like you would an underfed shelter puppy, to the disgusting and irresponsible humanizing of a literal monster, to Tony's family who we never got to see or know getting deported off camera, this season did entirely too much. It felt like all of this was only for shock and outrage value. Like the 13 reasons why showrunners are DESPERATELY trying to get dragged on twitter and they're throwing out all the stops. Since I peeped early what they were trying to do, a lot of this stuff didn't really sting but with Ani and her entire character, they managed to piss me off. FIRST OF ALL, Ani's place in this story FROM THE JUMP doesn't make sense. I have been a black girl for 23 years now and I know that if a UK born East African girl moved to a non-descript high school in the US her junior year, she would not be involved in all this rubbish. Her upbringing wouldn't let her because she would understand how vulnerable she is in this country. Also, these white students in this white school would not let her blend so seamlessly into their crew, to the point where she's confronting people about their whereabouts and pasts. It's unrealistic. But, hang on because sis... that isn't even the worst of it.
Ani exists to humanize and be with all of the toxic white men around her and that is so insidious. Before y'all go off, I don't have a problem with black women in interracial relationships. In fact, I feel like black women should be shown dating a variety of people. We are humans just like everyone else and everyone else dates widely. But, having Ani fall for and enter a sexual relationship with a serial rapist and abuser and then provide him with friendship, guidance, protection, and then act as the lead investigator on his case after he's murdered, is just reinforcing the same images of black women as laborers that we see everyday. Except this time, they've added a touch of a new but just as harmful stereotype: the WMW (white man's whore). The WMW stereotype being a stereotype that paints black women as completely obsessed and devoted to white men at the expense of their own sanity and safety. And for a show that has quick flashes of problematic content but uplifts and prizes it's worldview, it says a lot about the showrunners view black girls and their relationships with white men. If this is okay to them, what the hell would a problematic Ani look like? Ani's relationship with Clay is also a mess. While I can go on at length about how making Dylan Minnette speak Swahili to Ani should be considered a violation of human rights, the idea that Ani would even still want to be with Clay after she's watched him lie, threaten, and stalk people just makes the case for her as a WMW even stronger. In fact, all of Ani's most despicable actions like accusing Jessica of sleeping with Bryce and framing Monty for the murder of Bryce, are all destructive and stupid actions that if she had been written to have a clear, toxic white man free head, just wouldn't have happened. And again I ask, is this okay with y'all? Is this what's hot in the streets Mr. *checks notes* Brian Yorkey?!
Listen, in some instances it's okay to like trash but I'm gonna be bold and say that trash at black women's expense is so pervasive and damaging that we should really considering throwing these shows aside once and for all. 13 reasons why specifically should have been thrown in the dumpster the moment they showed Hannah ending her life and a big part of me is ashamed for even watching this show beyond that point. Unfortunately, even content that we know is trash isn't incapable of hurting us or shocking us with it's depravity and I know that (speaking mostly for myself but also for you if you've gotten this far) it's our responsibility to vet everything thoroughly before getting even a little bit invested.
Now, 13 reasons why is a problematic show and several unacceptable things happened this season. From the group adopting a school shooter like you would an underfed shelter puppy, to the disgusting and irresponsible humanizing of a literal monster, to Tony's family who we never got to see or know getting deported off camera, this season did entirely too much. It felt like all of this was only for shock and outrage value. Like the 13 reasons why showrunners are DESPERATELY trying to get dragged on twitter and they're throwing out all the stops. Since I peeped early what they were trying to do, a lot of this stuff didn't really sting but with Ani and her entire character, they managed to piss me off. FIRST OF ALL, Ani's place in this story FROM THE JUMP doesn't make sense. I have been a black girl for 23 years now and I know that if a UK born East African girl moved to a non-descript high school in the US her junior year, she would not be involved in all this rubbish. Her upbringing wouldn't let her because she would understand how vulnerable she is in this country. Also, these white students in this white school would not let her blend so seamlessly into their crew, to the point where she's confronting people about their whereabouts and pasts. It's unrealistic. But, hang on because sis... that isn't even the worst of it.
Ani exists to humanize and be with all of the toxic white men around her and that is so insidious. Before y'all go off, I don't have a problem with black women in interracial relationships. In fact, I feel like black women should be shown dating a variety of people. We are humans just like everyone else and everyone else dates widely. But, having Ani fall for and enter a sexual relationship with a serial rapist and abuser and then provide him with friendship, guidance, protection, and then act as the lead investigator on his case after he's murdered, is just reinforcing the same images of black women as laborers that we see everyday. Except this time, they've added a touch of a new but just as harmful stereotype: the WMW (white man's whore). The WMW stereotype being a stereotype that paints black women as completely obsessed and devoted to white men at the expense of their own sanity and safety. And for a show that has quick flashes of problematic content but uplifts and prizes it's worldview, it says a lot about the showrunners view black girls and their relationships with white men. If this is okay to them, what the hell would a problematic Ani look like? Ani's relationship with Clay is also a mess. While I can go on at length about how making Dylan Minnette speak Swahili to Ani should be considered a violation of human rights, the idea that Ani would even still want to be with Clay after she's watched him lie, threaten, and stalk people just makes the case for her as a WMW even stronger. In fact, all of Ani's most despicable actions like accusing Jessica of sleeping with Bryce and framing Monty for the murder of Bryce, are all destructive and stupid actions that if she had been written to have a clear, toxic white man free head, just wouldn't have happened. And again I ask, is this okay with y'all? Is this what's hot in the streets Mr. *checks notes* Brian Yorkey?!
Listen, in some instances it's okay to like trash but I'm gonna be bold and say that trash at black women's expense is so pervasive and damaging that we should really considering throwing these shows aside once and for all. 13 reasons why specifically should have been thrown in the dumpster the moment they showed Hannah ending her life and a big part of me is ashamed for even watching this show beyond that point. Unfortunately, even content that we know is trash isn't incapable of hurting us or shocking us with it's depravity and I know that (speaking mostly for myself but also for you if you've gotten this far) it's our responsibility to vet everything thoroughly before getting even a little bit invested.
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