The Social Taboos That Desperately Need Normalizing

Nervous child with a microphone in her face at a beauty pageant.Photo byDenise Andersen via Shutterstock

Social taboos keep a populace under control. And a lot of time, they don’t even make sense!

Social Taboos that Shouldn’t Be Taboo

People react with shock when others break these taboos, but they really shouldn’t.

We should all strive to break these taboos and normalize some of the weird stuff society hates!

Talking Money

Money is one of the most taboo topics in the world. We frown upon coworkers who discuss their salaries, get awkward when financial topics arise around the dinner table, and even struggle to have frank conversations with our life partners about money.

Companies Love the Taboo

Companies are the only winners when salary talks stay taboo. It helps them keep wages low, but it hurts everyone else. Colleagues receive unequal and often unfair compensation, kids don’t learn financial literacy, and partners lose trust in each other.

"The Talk" With Your Kids

No parent wants to think about their child growing up and engaging in sexual activity. However, making it taboo only hurts the kids.

They need to know the truth about how reproduction works, how their bodies work, and the potential dangers. It would be ideal if this information came from people the kids know and trust.

Kid's Bodies

Similarly, people are uncomfortable talking about basic biology with their young kids. Children need to learn the actual terms for their body parts. Having this knowledge protects them from pretenders.

It’s taboo to break a child’s innocence with real talk about their bodies, but the alternative, letting them remain ignorant and making them vulnerable, is far worse. I'll never forget the story of the young girl who complained that her uncle took her cookie. Her teachers didn't realize her parent's use the word "cookie" to describe her private parts. It shouldn't be taboo to teach kids about their bodies.

Dining Alone

I don’t know why we decided to care what strangers do, but everyone seems to feel weird about folks who do things *gasp* by themselves!

There’s nothing wrong with checking out that new restaurant by yourself. Bring a book and enjoy yourself!

Avoiding Family

People with loving families can’t fathom a situation where you’d want to avoid family. Those with toxic families know the truth: family isn’t everything.

We need to normalize opting out of circumstances that don’t serve us. We don’t need to maintain relationships with awful people just because we share genetics.

Singledom

Those choosing to remain single often get a barrage of questions after a certain age. “Why haven’t you settled down?” they ask, oblivious that not everyone wants a relationship.

Let’s normalize allowing people to live their lives however they see fit without passing judgment.

Child Free

Opting out of parenthood is often stigmatized even more than singlehood. Society wants everyone to have kids; it keeps the capitalistic machine going.

But we don’t need to have kids; the harsh truth is that not everyone should have kids. Parenthood is a magical journey, but it should be reserved for those who truly want to dedicate their lives to raising the next generation. It’s not for everyone.

Womanhood

Everything reloving woman’s bodies is taboo. Women can’t discuss medical processes, like periods or menopause, without whispering for fear of offending pearl clusters. Women can’t feed their babies publicly because their bodies are overly sexualized.

Women’s issues are often dismissed, thrust into dark corners to avoid offending the men folk. Women make up 50% of the population. It’s time to end the taboo on women’s bodies and experiences.

Human Bodies

Our puritanical culture has a weird obsession with bodies. Europeans enjoy clothes free beaches and saunas, with no one giving it a second thought. They’ve normalized human bodies, and we’d be wise to do the same in the States.

Selfishness

Sometimes we need to be selfish. It’s okay to take time for self-care, focus on yourself, and cater to your needs.

Many of us have been socialized to put ourselves last in every situation, and we end up suffering burnout. You can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s okay to put yourself first.

No Ambition

Not everyone is cut out for leadership, and that’s okay. We need to stop forcing people into roles they aren’t comfortable with and telling them they’re wrong for not wanting to move up.

If someone is happy in their current low-stress role, let them be happy. There’s no need to move up in the ranks if you don’t want to.

Teaching Children

It's become taboo to teach children the truth about the world. Some schools pretend the LGBTQ community doesn't exist, while others refuse to teach the horrors of slavery. We can't protect children from the truth; they deserve to learn these things.

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This article was produced and syndicated by Partners in Fire.