More: 11 Times the Switched at Birth Christmas episode had me in tears
1. She was switched at birth
Think about it. If you found out that your entire life was mixed up and you actually belonged to a family that you'd never met, how would you feel? That's enough heartbreak to bring anyone's life down, but for poor Bay, that was just the beginning.
2. She's underappreciated
I've always felt a certain kinship with Bay, so maybe that's why I feel she's always been underappreciated. She's sweet, funny, artistic and overall a cool chick. Sure, she's had her problems, but who among us can say we haven't? Yet it never seems like Bay gets appreciated for the great person that she is.
3. She was cheated on
Having the person you love sleep with someone else is a pain I hope never to experience myself. Bay had her heart broken by Emmett, yet their love endured and blossomed again. Right now things are rocky, but I have to give her credit for making it through that rough time.
4. She almost lost her art to an injury
One of the most important things in Bay's life is her art and being able to express her creativity. She almost lost that when she injured her hand, and I know her life would have been destroyed if that had happened. The fear of it alone was bad enough.
5. Her love life has been super-confusing
I know Bay is young, but it sure seems like her love life has been crazy, even for a teenager. It's not just that she's had relationships with different guys, it's also that nearly all of them have found a way to lie to and/or cheat on her. Whoever said teenage love was simple never saw Bay's love life.
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6. She lost her biological father
It would be bad enough to discover that you weren't raised by your biological parents. But not too long after Bay discovered who her biological father was and began to get close to him, she lost him in a terrible accident.
7. She sacrificed a lot to save her sister
When Bay saw what kind of future Daphne was facing after the mistakes she made last year, she didn't hesitate to jump in and help. Some of her family were angry with her for it and some thought it was a brilliant idea. Yet it didn't seem like any of them truly appreciated what kind of person she was to do something like that.
8. She has a criminal record
One of the biggest issues to come from Bay taking on Daphne's criminal charges is that she now has a criminal record. It may not be as serious as the one that Daphne would have had, but it's still going to affect her for the rest of her life.
9. She and Emmett are apart
Another downfall of Bay's sacrifice was that she and Bay weren't able to follow the dreams they had for Los Angeles together. I wasn't sure if following Emmett was such a great idea as I wanted to see Bay follow her own dreams, but it's obvious that them being apart has been hard on both of them. It seems like the moment Bay and Emmett get happy, something comes up to tear them apart.
10. She lost the chance to have her art displayed
Remember when I said that criminal record was going to affect Bay for the rest of her life? Well, it has already begun. She got this amazing shot at getting her work into a show and, just like that, it was taken away because they found out she had a conviction.
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11. She's facing the idea that she may have been raped
After everything that Bay has been through, I can't believe that she's having to deal with something as serious as a possible assault. It almost doesn't matter whether you believe what happened between her and Tank was rape or not, it's still yet another terrible situation that she's going to have to deal with.
12. She deserves a little happiness
Image: Giphy
Come on, who's with me? Doesn't Bay deserve to have a little fun in her life? Maybe her happiness will come from a happily-ever-after with Emmett or maybe it will come from fulfilling her dreams as an artist. Whatever it is that makes Bay happy, she deserves it.
13. We need to see her smile again
Bay has the best smile. When she's doing something she loves, like working on her art or just being silly with her family, Bay's smile can brighten the darkest day. It's about time we see that again, and not just for a minute or two in between disasters.