Humans as social beings have some eerie and strange rules, which are often unsaid. No, they are not norms. These unsaid rules focus on remaining mum and seem oblivious to certain things happening around. They are seen and experienced by mostly everyone around and yet people choose to remain silent about it. If thought about deeply, then it becomes painstakingly perplexing to understand the reason behind such taboos and the stigmas associated with them. No matter how advanced and modernized a society might be, irrespective of the religion, it is still likely to be nurturing several stigmas. Anybody barely dares to convert the perception of those stigmas for that would mean inviting the wrath and non-approval of those around. Following are ten taboos found around the world even today.
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Menstruation
It was indeed a huge debate when Instagram removed two pictures posted by a girl recently. What was there in the picture? There was simply a girl sleeping on the bed with her face towards the wall and with a spot of her menstruation blood dabbed on the bedsheet from her pajamas. The image, of course, was widely circulated around Facebook. It was the comments that were startling and confirmed to menstruation blood as being a big taboo. For many, it provoked disgust and was offensive to view such an image. It for sure is pitiable that how a natural process that everyone is familiar with can even be capable of provoking disgust.
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A rape victim
Everyone now a day is highly instigated and driven to punish the perpetrators of heinous crimes like rape. People want to make sure that the culprit is duly punished. While some brave hearts are defying the norms and coming out of their cocoons by admitting what really happened to them, the others which are far more in number are forced to remain mum about it, in the name of inviting probable threats or to safeguard family honor. From there start a lifelong pain and secret that ought never to be spoken about to anyone. In such cases, it is not the culprit that gets condemned, but rather the victim who suffers in silence.
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Infertility
Even with the several options that a couple can look forward to in case of infertility, it is still dealt as a taboo. People are ashamed on discovering that they have infertility issues. The shame spurs more by the fear of the probable reaction of those around. The couple feels the necessity to keep the matters hidden as far as possible. The entire procedure of getting treated is also reduced to a hushed affair so that nobody in the friends’ or the family’s’ circle comes to know about it.
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Mental ailments
People can be very insensitive on coming across children or adults who have psychological disorders. There are all sorts of names thrown at such patients. It is as if all the sympathy and emotional ability to comprehend other’s issues has eroded. People with mental problems are looked down upon and treated as inequals. Largely because of this that the parents of such kids prefer keeping their child behind the curtain and away from the atrocious treatment of the world out there. Psychological ailments are barely discussed in public. However recently it has been in the open.
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Transgender
Sexuality in itself poses as a great taboo and people refrain from discussing it. And when it comes to talking about those who fail to align along the lines of sexuality, they are shunned as abnormal. Life in totality is complicated for transgenders. They are likely to be eschewed when they find themselves uncomfortable with the sex assigned to them naturally. Because of fear of being ridiculed and criticized they prefer hiding their sexual preferences. Society, on the whole, is yet not ready to accept transgenders as they are barely talked about, let alone accepted as normal.
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AIDS
AIDS has been a taboo since ages. People fear to come in the light about this disease for fear of absolute segregation from the community. There are several myths attached to the illness which spurs inconsiderate reaction to those suffering from it. The fact that it is barely talked about adds somewhere to spreading of the disease, and more and more people come under its captivity. What is not realized is that if it is frequently discussed, then a larger number of individuals would be able to gain knowledge about it and therefore be able to protect themselves. Several government campaigns have been trying to end the perception of AIDS as a taboo. It is hoped that this would give a chance to all those suffering from the ailment to come in the open and talk about it and share their experiences.
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Incest
Incest has been one of the most talked about taboos in the world. It is known to be practiced in several societies. This involves the sexual relationships between two members who are blood-related. The children resulting out of incestuous relationships are usually looked upon as illegitimate. Communities that hold incest as legitimate gives one reason to prove their argument as righteous. According to them, it becomes necessary for members of a family to keep sexual relationships so as to maintain the family dignity and not let an outsider’s blood ruin it.
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Fornication
People might be indulging in pre-marital sexual relationships nowadays. But even today it is looked down upon as a taboo when it comes to the matter of marriages. There are still societies that stress upon the virginity of the bride before marriage and consider it as a great virtue and a deciding factor for the marital bond to be sealed.
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Defecation
Nobody openly talks about their bodily functions, let alone the process of eliminating waste products. If one is constipated, he or she will try their best to hide the fact from friends and relatives to avoid embarrassment. People prefer remaining silent about it no matter how much trouble it puts them into.
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Pregnant bride
This can be a taboo in particular societies that lay importance on virginity. People of such community would be likely to condemn the marriage of a pregnant bride. This would incur indignation and resentment towards the groom as well for having decided to marry a such a girl. It might be a total possibility that the child might be of the groom himself, but it is the bride who has to suffer more than half of the bitterness.
There are several other taboos as well which are being observed even today. But one cannot also ignore the fact that a taboo varies from one culture to the other.