Com(m)unicate - TABOO - Vol VII Issue I

Maria Becerra Profile Camila Matamoros

"Food" Rhymes with “Taboo” Andrea Alvarado & Joo Hyun Park

What Do You Mean By "Mamá Doesn’t Let Me Do That?”

Carolina Luna

Shark Week Taboo Isabella Adelsohn

Diversity Is Not Uncommon Veronica Copello & Carmen Botero

The Taboo Around Piercings and Tattoos Kelly Browne

Social Genetics Ju Young Shim

Volume VII, Issue I TABOO

Volume VII, Issue I Com(m)unícate is a bilingual publication dedicated to sharing student voice and writing of Colegio Nueva Granada.

Editors Michelle Akerman Olivia Galvis Mr. Guzman Julio Mr. Tangen Dr. Carriazo Layout and Design Editor Jeongwoo (Stella) Hur Design Team and Artists Maria Luz Perez Isabella Tejeda Isabella Adelsohn Eduardo Carriazo Paula Salcedo Antonia Robayo Emma Dreispiel Special Thanks to Ms. Janice Ellerby Copy Editor Paulina Ruiz

Writers Camila Matamoros Andrea Alvarado Joo Hyun Park Ju Young Shim Isabella Adelsohn Veronica Copello Carmen Botero Stella Mendoca Carolina Luna Miranda Urdinola Elena Baptiste Maritza Chehebar Sofía Córdoba Eduardo Carriazo Susie Kim Kelly Browne Ana Natiello Camilo Medina Seo Young Shin Printed by Cima Impresores E.U. Colegio Nueva Granada Bogota, Colombia January of 2018 ISSN 2590-5317

Table of Contents

Editor’s Notes > > > > > > 5 Maria Becerra Profile by Camila Matamoros > > > > > > 6 ~ 8 “Food” Rhymes with “Taboo” by Andrea Alvarado & Joo Hyun Park > > > > > > 9 ~ 11 Social Genetics by Ju Young Shim > > > > > > 12 ~ 13 Shark Week Taboo by Isabella Adelsohn > > > > > >

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Diversity Is Not Uncommon by Veronica Copello & Carmen Botero > > > > > >

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The T in Taboo stands for Teenage Pregnancy by Stella Mendoca > > > > > > 16 ~ 17 What Do You Mean By “Mamá Doesn’t Let Me Do That?” by Carolina Luna > > > > > > 18 ~ 19 More than a Taboo, a Health Issue by Miranda Urdinola & Elena Baptiste > > > > > >

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Intercultural Marriage by Maritza Chehebar & Sofía Córdoba > > > > > >

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Dibtoria’s Secret: El Ejemplo a Seguir by Eduardo Carriazo > > > > > > 22 ~ 23 Unbalanced Mentality by Susie Kim > > > > > >

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The Taboo Around Piercings and Tattoos by Kelly Browne > > > > > > 25 ~ 27 How Pop Culture Has Broken by Taboos by Ana Natiello & Camilo Medina > > > > > > 28 ~ 29 Taboos Now and Then by Seo Young Shin > > > > > > 30 ~ 31

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Editor’s Note Ta-Boo! What does this word truly mean? It causes goosebumps in both children and adults yet at the same time, it translates into disapproval and contempt. We react to taboos the same way we react to unexpected BOO’s, by running away. And what about when we hear those boos coming from a crowd? Rooting against us, showing dismay? Taboos are everywhere, scaring some while inspiring others to speak up.

We all have topics we choose not to talk about. For some, those topics can be about sexuality, while for others they may be about food. But why do these exist? What makes us be scared of some more than others?

Since a very young age, we’ve been fed with society’s taboos. This certainly isn’t something new for us. For centuries, humankind has placed taboos on certain topics. Culture, religion, nature, and gender, drive us toward some taboos and keep us away from others.

Yet today many of us have decided to tackle these. To speak about what isn’t spoken and understand what isn’t understood.

This is a collection of taboos, inspired by everyday encounters: from having to deal with the “awkward” talk about menstruation to the death stares poised by grandparents when topics such as tattoos and piercings come up at the dinner table. We don’t live in an ideal world and there’s no doubt that taboos will continue to exist. We should defy, question, and talk about them.

So, when you read over these taboos, ask yourself, what are the taboos in your life?

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Maria Becerra

The New Powerhouse Representing Students Camila Matamoros

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ras varios días de agendar y cambiar horas en las que se pudiera hacer la entrevista, María llegó a la reunión justo a tiempo, con sus pantalones de sudadera y su cachucha puesta con apuro. Se disculpó ya que tenía un correo electrónico que responder y una llamada que contestar. Su actitud alegre y energética me da a entender que tengo unos cinco minutos para interrogarla sobre todo lo que necesito preguntarle antes de que tenga que salir corriendo a otra cita o compromiso. Pidió un café y se sentó, con una disposición atenta y seria. Para poder entender quién es María Becerra, hay que tener en cuenta su interminable agenda que siempre está llena de eventos, fechas especiales y compromisos.

Su día consiste en levantarse a las cinco de la mañana, ir al colegio, faltar a clase por reuniones y después adelantar lo que perdió durante el día hasta altas horas de la noche. Es curioso pensar que ahora es la personera del colegio, otro logro en su interminable lista. Antes de su

campaña, se veía cómo pasaba horas en su escritorio planeando estrategias y hablando sin cesar con todos los estudiantes. Se paraba para estirarse, a mirar por la ventana, a tratar de encontrar ideas nuevas para no hacer lo que todo el mundo esperaría que hiciera. Me contaba con una mirada entusiasta, casi alocada, cómo quería cambiar el colegio: “los representantes prometen muchas cosas que son imposibles o casi imposibles, porque quieren ganar votos. Yo quise hacer una propuesta que fuera simple, pero de alto impacto.” Una de estas estrategias consiste en usar un tutú mientras hablaba con los niños de primaria. No pude evitar reírme un poco, ya que no vería a ningún político usando un tutú haciendo campaña. Y ahí la vimos todos, con un tutú, hablándole a los niños y haciéndolos reír por un rato. Lo más inesperado es lo que tiene más efecto, o al menos eso dice María: “No me da pena ponerme un tutú y hacer unas cosas un poco infantiles para poder hacer sentir a la gente más cercana a mí”.

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En una salida a comer con sus amigas, o una simple salida a tomar café, se puede esperar una conversación sobre política, estigmas y tabúes que rodean la vida de los estudiantes en el colegio.

Con un entusiasmo casi enfermizo, María hablaba e insistía en la inclusión de más culturas en eventos patrocinados por el colegio: “todos pueden mostrar de dónde vienen, sus creencias, y lo que quieran, pero quiero que podamos hablar sin tener que sentir miedo de que se burlen de nosotros”. Durante horas, planeaba y soñaba con lo que haría si ganaba esta campaña. Es usual verla con una camiseta del colegio un sábado cuando sale a correr, porque para ella el colegio y la vida personal “es casi lo mismo, ya que puedo decir que estoy más tiempo en el colegio que en mi casa”. Se puede ver cómo ella habla con todos los estudiantes en los pasillos y cómo saluda a todos los de servicios generales porque le nace, no porque lo ve como un deber.

Al empezar su campaña, María arreglaba panfletos, carteleras y videos

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sola, sin ayuda. ¿Con qué propósito haces todo esto sola cuando muchos te podrían ayudar? Se encogió de hombros y, con una carcajada me dijo: “Prefiero hacerlo yo y que sea mi esfuerzo. Además, nadie va a querer hacer esto un viernes por la tarde.”

Su actitud alegre, hasta en los momentos más estresantes, sobresale. Desde lejos, se puede ver a María corriendo de lado a lado, con el celular en el oído, hablando con la mitad de Bogotá mientras que trata de llegar a clase. Esa persona con más energía que nadie decidió ser personera para “dar un ejemplo que persista y con mucho esfuerzo poder hacer un cambio que ayude a los estudiantes”.

Después de compartir un café con María, hablamos de cosas banales y también de sus sueños y de sus expectativas. Tras recoger sus cosas con apuro y contestar su celular, se despidió y salió corriendo a una reunión a la que no podía faltar. Y así, fugaz pero abiertamente, conocí casi todos los aspectos de la vida de María Becerra.

“Food” Rhymes with “Taboo” Andrea Alvarado & Joo Hyun Park

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ave you ever felt that you weren’t supposed to eat something, yet couldn’t quite pinpoint the reasons behind your doubt? Your doubt is most likely the result of a food taboo. Across the globe, an immeasurable amount of cultures exist, each defined by their own gastronomy, which include unsaid, but commonly understood, “rules”.

This “unwritten constitution of food” eventually comes to influence our eating habits to such a degree that they simply become instinctive, a sort of muscle memory. Taboos can be considered a broad spectrum of superstition, rejection, or even enjoyment, all of which can fall under two broad categories: religion and tradition. Some religious examples that are recognized worldwide include the Jewish rejection of pork, the worship of cows in India, and the repulsion felt towards eating domesticated animals, such as dogs or hamsters, in most parts of the world. Taboos that are based off traditions, though not recognized, are also prominent: Chinese shark fin soup and Australian Vegemite, for instance. Moreover, even everyday eating habits that we consider normal can be seen as taboos in other cultures.

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One of the most prominent food taboos in the Western world is Asian gastronomy, and it’s no surprise: Asia is halfway across the world, so evidently, it developed traditions that seem rather “abnormal,” from the western perspective, through centuries. Part of these “abnormalities” root from Asian history, which is widely recognized for its medicine, but with it, come gastronomic components, which may include dog stew. Yes, it’s a stew made from dog bones and flesh. However, there is more to Asian gastronomy: it’s a culture that does not accept food waste. Therefore, if a medicine man wants to use dog bones, he ought to use the whole dog or nothing (he would always choose the former), if a farmer wanted to eat chicken, she ought to eat the feet (it’s a famous delicacy today). Now, fast forward to the 20th Century: war. Most Asian countries were ravaged by the effects of war, and were left with little preoccupation for food, so people were willing to eat anything in order to survive. This created the stereotype of “Chinese-eat-everything” (but remember: not all Asians are Chinese): People ate frogs from creeks, roots and weeds from unknown species (which are recognized today as an important

source of nutrients), and even snakes. These seemed like last resources, yet today, they are “casually” enjoyed. Furthermore, some habits Westerners consider taboos are just there because they’ve been part of the culture forever.

These include boiled silk worm cocoons and bull penis (considered an aphrodisiac). Nonetheless, all these gastronomic characteristics are just taboos to us. So why not try those cocoons?

They are tasty and a great source of protein.

Moving further west, away from Asia, comes France. Although this country contains some of the most popular tourist attractions, the foods that usually come to mind when thinking of France, namely baguettes, cheese, and crepes, do not even come close to a wholesome view of its gastronomy. Although France is usually revered for its cuisine, parts of it are not always accepted by other cultures. The two most stereotypical foods that are often seen as taboos are often escargot and foie gras. Escargot, or edible snail, however, is a delicacy in France.

Despite creating a sense of unsanitariness in most, the preparation of this entree is rather complex. The snail is not simply taken from a shrub and spiked on a fork. The snail undergoes a process of thorough cleansing

that results in a high price tag. Next, we have foie gras. This food’s taboo in the eyes of other cultures is born, for the most part, in the manner in which it is made. The process undergone to end up with what is seen as a treat for most in France, mainly consists of feeding ducks and geese excessive amounts of grain so as to engorge their livers before slaughter. Foie gras and escargot, being delicacies, are rather expensive; however, many foods that are commonly eaten as a main course in France are equally seen as taboos by other cultures.

Food is one of the many ways a culture can express itself. When attending a meal, the food served is telling a story about the person that made the food and him or her who is eating it. Everyone around the table is participating in a culture-sharing experience. However, since “culture-sharing” involves people of different backgrounds and tastes, their food taboos will always impose a limit on what they are able to eat and the experiences they are able to share. So, when you sit at a table and observe the food being placed in front of you, think not only of your own tastes but also of the cultural knowledge that can be gained from trying new foods.

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Social Genetics Ju Young Shim

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here was absolutely no doubt: I was going to die. The ten year old truck’s engine was huffing and puffing and its wheels were barely hanging on to the body. It was simply too old to make it in time. Meanwhile, the ten year old me was inside lying down, huffing gasps of pain and barely hanging on to dear life. The red blob I had was fully exposed, pumping blood and pain out of controllably.

‘No,’ I thought. ‘I am too young to die’.

Suddenly, the truck reached a halt. My dad urgently got out of the truck, slamming the door,

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and he then carried me on his back. Running quickly inside the white building, he ran through the hall and burst open the doors with his foot.

The moment he turned on the water, I hastily stuck my hand in the sink.

That’s right; I was stung by a bee... Okay, maybe I’m over-exaggerating the situation, but the pain was severe for a ten year old to handle. This incident is a trauma of sorts for me, and ever since, I flinch when a bee passes by. However, I also know friends who fear

spiders or snakes more severely than I do bees, without having any traumatic experience.

Clearly, these phobias have a somewhat innate feature in them. You never have to be bitten by a spider to get goosebumps when you see them. Same goes with fear of heights or water. You never fell from a height that gave you intense pain, yet you fear falling more than you fear riding a car, which is much more likely to kill you.

The process of natural selection that has led to us being the way we are is nothing short of incredible. Essentially, among those monkeys who lived thousands of years ago, those who knew when to fear heights and bees were the ones who became your ancestors. It doesn’t stop there. You feel pain so that your body learns to avoid banging your head on wood. You feel alert so that your body starts running away when you see a wild bear. Your genetics, a result of thousands of trials and errors, is hardwired to protect you.

However, it would be a lie to tell you that all of this comes from genetics. Experiments have proven that babies become alert when they see snakes, but don’t necessarily fear them as long as the snake is calm as well.

The fear of snakes is also a social condition.

You fear snakes because you saw your mom fear snakes because she saw your grandfather fear snakes because he saw his friend get bitten and die in seconds.

During the time civilization has been around, standard social behaviors were established based off trial and error. The social behaviors that we acquire as we live in our communities acts like a second set of genes for us, defining how we behave and respond to the things happening around us. The don’ts of

that experience are the taboos, and many of them help you and our species out quite a bit.

For example, the conscious act of caring for those around you allows us to form mutual relationships. A lot of man-made creations have been a product of cooperation: cities, buildings, and even technology. “But that isn’t a taboo”, I hear you say.

Cannibalism (eating other humans), infanticide (killing an infant), matricide (killing your mother), and patricide (killing your father) are all taboos formed to ensure these mutual relationships continue, I would rebut. Do note that this is very important. Part of establishing a mutual relationship is helping each other out, but if a betrayal could occur at any moment, no relationship would last.

However, the most popular taboo, spread in nearly all societies, is incest. Incest is a horrible idea for the offspring involved because it heightens the chances of genetic disorders shared by both parents being passed on. This inbreeding can lead to several birth disorders ranging from developmental/physical disorders to immediate death. This is why humans aren’t the only species that have a distaste for inbreeding; chimpanzees and mice avoid inbreeding as well.

As you can see, social taboos often function to preserve a healthy, working, and united community, just like our genetic programming often functions to preserve a healthy, working body. So while there are definitely some taboos that are unhealthy in a modernized world (such as racism) that should be terminated for the benefit of humankind, some are likely here to stay.

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Shark Week Taboo Isabella Adelsohn Did you know...

there are about 5,000 different ways to say you’re on your period? “It’s sharks week, Time of the month is here, Lady Time, The blob, Auntie Flow”. Well, you get the point. These expressions are exclusively used to avoid the embarrassing subject of menstruation. But it’s 2017, about 800 million women are having their period right now, and I find it ironic how everyone acts all mature about gender equality, but when it comes to talking about it, it’s totally avoided.

It’s time to break this culture of silence.

Although menstruation is talked mostly between women since it’s something that all of them experience, when it’s mentioned between men, it’s mostly evaded, and if not, it’s made fun of like the typical phrase of “is that your PMS talking?”. Society has deemed it socially unacceptable to talk about it out loud, making it embarrassing and uncomfortable to the point where women feel they have to lower their voice to say “I’m on my period.”

Similar to how it’s not appropriate to say “vagina” or “penis” out loud without giggling or receiving judged looks. Periods, vaginas, penises; these are all parts of the body. They are all natural. We should feel free to talk about them.

In many societies, cultural taboos avoid open discussion about this topic, restricting

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information and early access to health care.

What you should know is that it’s becoming a huge public issue, where some girls think they’re dying when they suddenly start bleeding because they had no education about their periods. Actually, nearly half of the girls do not know what is happening to them the first time they have their period.

60% of women feel embarrassed and scared to tell anyone else they have started their period. Women should feel they can talk openly about periods to also ensure that future generations are better informed and prepared, educating boys and girls to confront the taboo of menstruation. This taboo is failing to inform women and girls on the difference between what is healthy and what is not.

There are so many reasons not to talk about periods; either they’re perceived as an “excuse” to get out of something, or as gross and disgusting. But I actually think the source of this stigma can be traced back to the body image that mass media promotes daily even though it has adapted to real standards in the past years. The perfect image that media has created has led individuals within society to develop a negative “I’m too tall” “I’m too fat” attitude towards their own physical appearance. When have you heard a person say “I’m happy I got my period and my body is working properly!” “I’m happy I’m able to have a baby one day!”? Almost never.

As I said before, it’s 2017 and this is a foolish stigma that should be accepted once and for all.

Period.

Diversity Is Not Uncommon Verónica Copello & Carmen Botero

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n his bestselling novel, Every Day, American author and LGBTQ+ activist David Levithan wrote the following about differences amongst people: “for whatever reason, we like to focus on the two percent that’s different, and most of the conflict in the world comes from that. The only way I can navigate through my life is because of the ninety-eight percent that every life has in common.”

We live in a society that tends to focus on diversity as a negative factor, as a weakness. This means that we still discriminate and hold prejudice against those that we consider abnormal. People that identify themselves as anything other than heterosexual, for instance, are verbally and physically harmed simply because they do not follow a mythical standard on gender or sexuality. That is, the rightful relationship between a man and a woman, and the legitimate feelings of love between these.

So how did we come to terms with this idea of the “unthinkable” relationship?

How did we come to center our lives around the two percent of the population that is different, and make that our priority for establishing conflict?

For starters, religion and common beliefs among societies have constantly driven ideals of right or wrong. Take Christianity and its holy book as an example.

Throughout the Bible, it is explicit that family is conformed by a man and a woman: “a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:22-24). Thus, having been guided for centuries by a belief such as this one, Christians are entitled to have strong opinions about a concept or idea that they are not used to. What no one is entitled to is prejudice and discrimination with the sole basis of difference as a reason. Think about it: we praise diversity when it comes to ecosystems, technology, even colors. Why, then, can’t we do the same when it comes to ourselves?

In twenty-first-century Colombian society, identifying one’s gender differently to their sex or being in a same-sex relationship is still regarded as rather shocking. In all honesty, as a conservative country for the bigger part of its history, it is not surprising that non-heterosexual relationships are seen this way because they are different to what most people have become accustomed to. And yet, these relationships are not infrequent.

So precisely because sexual and gender diversity are a current factor in our society, it is important to accept it. Pope Francis himself, in 2013, said, “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” It is 2017 and if we still don’t get the concept of this, where are we headed?

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The T in Taboo stands for Teenage Pregnancy Stella Mendoca

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s far as taboo topics go, Teen Pregnancy is at the very top. However, at CNG that seems to be a rare occasion. “I’ve never had a student come up to me and say she was pregnant” stated Juliana Tamayo, high school counselor. Nevertheless, she admits that when she was in high school teen pregnancy wasn’t too uncommon. This difference isn’t unsurprising as teen pregnancy has been steadily declining over time as more and more schools teach sexual education. In 2014 teenage birth rates were below 25 per 1000 teens, when back in the 1950s it was 100 births per 1000 teens.

The decline among hispanics is 56% and for whites its 36%. CNG includes sex education in the curriculum. The current health teacher for 9th and 10th grade, Ms.

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Harvey, teaches a whole quarter based on just sexual education, focusing on contraception related to pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases. She advises that before one jumps to conclusions about being pregnant one should first make sure to do some proper tests to make sure.

If one were to be pregnant at CNG, it would be nice to know where one can go for help and how to support oneself. Both Ms. Tamayo and Ms. Harvey suggest talking to one’s parents first. They said they would each provide healthy emotional support, but that it is definitely necessary to tell one’s parents and the partner first. After that, decisions need to be made about what to do with the baby, whether to abort or keep it.

In both cases a valid support system needs to be set up. Many other teachers and authority figures would give a similar response, proving that teenage pregnancy is a topic that has been addressed and discussed more for the sake of the safety of the mothers as well as the child.

And yet most people still consider teen pregnancy a controversial issue. Many believe the negative implications associated with teen pregnancy have been around for centuries, but the truth is they mostly developed in the 1900s, as women, different from today, were expected to marry earlier in life and therefore also have children early.

As modern medicine progresses and lifespans increase, less and less people feel the need to get married and have children as soon as possible. This makes having a child at a

young age uncommon. Many hope that the focus of young girls’ these days is education and their careers, as opposed to marriage and parenthood like it was in the past, so when someone exhibits those thoughts or even just reflects them by being pregnant, it’s a bit shocking. It’s even worse of an issue when the pregnancy is unplanned - which in most cases it is as it shows carelessness on behalf of the parent. People will blame the pregnant mother for making their community look bad, as a local teenage pregnancy implies that the young girls in the community are not educated enough. A number of teenagers will delay or completely stop their academic lives, which also reflects badly on a community as dropout rates are not a desired thing to increase. Many times a teenage mother will be looked at as irresponsible for having had a baby and will be called incapable of raising one, however were she to abort it or give it away she’d receive other negative stigmas. The parents in question will often go through hard medical, financial, and emotional crisis’ which doesn’t reflect all too kindly about their competence and stability to raise a child.

Teenage Pregnancy is still a big taboo topic. However, views are changing and people are becoming more open minded.

The most important thing is that, if it ever does happen, one knows what to do, how to react, and how to proceed.

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What Do You Mean By “Mamá Doesn’t Let Me Do That?”

Carolina Luna

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It’s 2017, you can do or be whatever you want.” How many times has that phrase appeared in social media in form of memes or inspirational quotes?

Definitely more than it really should.

Looking back at history, we have considerably advanced in many aspects, one being gender equality. However, no matter how liberal we think the world is now, some people will have a harder time finding this to be true due to their distinct upbringings.

We consider the 21st century to be a time in which both girls and boys are treated equally. Unfortunately, many kids that grow up in Latin America do not receive this equal treatment from their parents. As you may already be aware, this society has typically maintained a patriarchal view in which certain things that women do are completely taboo for men.

A taboo is a prohibition to a specific practice or association with a specific place, thing, or person based on a religious or social custom. For instance, men do not have any business in the kitchen or in the house, they are normally seen as the ones that work in the field or the office in order to economically sustain their families. In this case, girls definitely have many social expectations that they have to meet.

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In the eyes of this patricentric society, women must know how to cook, clean, sew, and wash. While the brothers of a girl get to go play soccer all Saturday morning, she is supposed to tidy up the house, set the table, and cook with her mom.

It is rare for a girl to enjoy contact sports like basketball or soccer, because those are “male things.” Luckily, this new generation has grown up rather informed in regards to the health benefits of doing exercise which has encouraged them to practice sports, and commit to teams.

Many people think that Latina girls are crazy party mates that can move their bodies in a very sexual way, but in reality, a lot of things go on at home before the party. First off, the brothers will be allowed to go. However, the daughter will probably have to put on a little fight in order to be granted permission. If she’s going with her brothers, it will be easier for her to get a ‘yes’ from her parents, but if it’s her alone with her friends, it’s going to be a lot harder. Something great that has actually changed for the better is how terrible it was seen for a girl to go out without a guy. She had to be dating someone or have a guy friend invite her in order to go and prevent judgement. Fortunately, girls can now get away with that easier as long as they go with their friends (can be only female). But why are girls less permitted to go out than boys? Some families argue that men get tired of the same women hat go to every single party. This means that a guy gets to go to all parties in order to meet new women, but the girl will stay at home to not bore the boys. Now, imagine the girl is allowed to go out, what is she going to wear? Well, whatever she likes and makes her feel pretty, right? Absolutely not!

If her parents don’t like her outfit, she has to change. If it’s too revealing, she will get called a whore or a slut, and then be forced to put on something else. However, if she

arrives to the party completely covered up, she might get seen as a virgin who’s too conservative and boring by her male friends.

What about her male friends? How many can she have? Not many actually. A girl that only hangs out with boys or is seen as the only female in a group of friends may be seen either as a tomboy or a slut. There is a term in spanish called “marianismo.” This means “to be like Mary,” meaning the Virgin Mary. What this tries to portray is a delicate, modest, pure, feminine, and sensitive view of a female.

Lastly, women are normally not allowed to stay out as long as men because they are more prone to experience sexual violence than men. When a girl gets raped in a taxi at 2 AM, most people say “she had it coming,” or she “gave papaya.” But, is the girl truly accountable for getting raped?

Wasn’t she just having a good time? And what if she was drunk? Then she definitely exposed herself on that one right? Girls that get drunk are seen as completely disgusting, in comparison to a guy that had a little too much fun. If the girl kisses more than one guy at the party she is a slut, but a guy is definitely a ladies’ man that gets praised by society while the girl gets shamed. It’s sad to say that this fact right here does not only happen in Latin America, but rather all around the world.

Just as there are expectations for Latinas, there are also for Latinos too. The term “machismo” derives from the word ‘macho’ which is usually used to describe guys who are strong and aggressive, and uphold male pride in order to state that men are better than women. It is basically a type of violence conducted by men to women and even to homosexuals in which comments or discriminatory acts are said or done as a way to express that social order should be maintained by suppressing these types of communities to ensure male

superiority. Even though guys hate to get called ‘machistas’, they will try to meet certain unwritten rules set by the Latin American society to try and maintain the highest position in the social stratum. Not many actually notice this, but the simple fact that guys have to be tough, strong and insensitive creates an image that men are far more stable than women, and that it’s an advantage. Guys should not show any feminine behavior, especially feelings, because he’s a ‘pussy’ or, in fact, ‘a girl’.

Additionally, men have always been seen as the ones with the better education, so if something gets broken, the man of the house will have to repair it, especially if it’s a mechanical object. If the object turns out to be something diminute, they leave it to the girls because they have slim fingers and more patience. Another important MUST for a Latino is to be in a sports team. Boys are expected to be strong, so they must definitely exercise and build body mass in some way.

Normally, they will be pressured by their dads to join a team and forced to stay.

The ones that don’t, should try to find another sport because if they grow up without this athletic exposure, they will get picked on and it will be even worse off when they can’t defend themselves.

It seems to some like all of these gender ‘norms’ are really far off from how our society behaves today, but it really isn’t. When I asked my fourteen year old Latino brother what he felt society asked from him, he commented “I feel like everything I do has to be better than what a girl does. I’m basically forced to being competitive so that I’m more successful and superior than women.” As upsetting and demotivating as this may sound, if a kid from the digital era still believes this, then 2017 is in no way the year in which a girl or a boy can be or do whatever they want.

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he stigma of suicide goes a long way back, and the taboo that comes with it probably explains why no one likes to talk about it. However, not talking about it actually increases the number of suicides in our communities. On our modern day society, people can’t “feel bad” because they will be told by the rest of society to simply get over it and move on. This makes many people believe they can’t express what they are feeling, idea which leads them to repress their emotions to such an extent that the possibility of tragedy greatly increases. Suicide has been a very controversial taboo throughout the centuries.

Since life, through the religious lens is considered to be the greatest gift for any living being, suicide is considered one of the worst sins a human being can commit.

Most religions have prohibited this act, since they consider human life to be sacred and a gift from God, that the soul of a suicide victim will not find peace and is denied entrance to the gates of heaven.

Not only is suicide prohibited within religion, it is also prohibited by society, it is a legal crime.

This taboo has become a problem and a reality for many no matter their age, race, socioeconomic status, religion or gender.

Most suicide victims suffer from mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolarity that don’t permit them to think clearly, taking away their freedom of choice. But, mental disorders are not the only ones that trigger people to commit suicide. Many people break when they have to go through stressful life situations such as financial or emotional difficulties. According to an article on Psychology Today written by

Antonio Geraldo da Silva MD and Humberto Correa MD, a person commits suicide every 40 seconds. Just by looking at these rates we can see this problem is not only a taboo, but a health issue. We live in a very close minded society that cannot understand that depression is an illness and not a weakness.

In order to be able to confront this problem we must all as a community talk about the reality of the issue and understand the real meaning behind it in order to be able to help those who may be going through a period of emotional instability. We have asked many people what they think about suicide and some of the most common answers have been the following: “Suicide is stupid.”

“Suicide is for the weak.”

“Only crazy people commit suicide.”

“Suicide? I don’t even want to talk about that.”

Suicide is a serious issue that we as a community must address. Many people around the world, maybe even people we know, have to go through the most overwhelming situations. This ends up leading them to commit suicide. Lately, we’ve been talking to many people between 15 and 17 years old, and some very common topics of conversation are hopelessness, how they have no motivation, they are bored of the monotony of their life and how they have lost their appetite. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a rising trend of youth suicide, the mean suicide rate for kids between 15 and 19 was 7.4/100,000. The purpose of this article is to open people’s eyes that suicide among young people is a serious health problem in many societies, and preventive measures are strongly recommended.

More than a Taboo, a Health Issue 20

Miranda Urdinola & Elena Baptiste

Intercultural Marriage Maritza Chehebar & Sofía Córdoba

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eing a student at CNG means being a part of one of the most diverse schools in Bogota. There are students from over forty different nationalities interacting with each other every single day; and with different heritage comes a variety of cultures and religious traditions. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, among other religions, make up CNG’s identity. We can’t help but wonder if with the merging of so many cultures also comes a change in the intercultural marriage taboo that has been present in our country for so many years.

was that their opinions differed greatly from those of their parents. Elena B., an 11th grader of Catholic background stated “I find it very interesting how two different people from completely different cultures are able to create a union based on love where they can merge cultures”. This is a result of growing up integrated among diversity and acceptance of various cultures.

Andrea Rabinovich, of Jewish background said, “I believe that intercultural marriages should be accepted but it is possible for cultures to clash and make things more complicated”.

To understand this taboo, we have to go back to past generations and to the foundations said generations laid. Basically, our parents. Most of the students at CNG were raised with similar values, but as different families maintain different cultures, they also practice different traditions. For example, most Jewish parents at Colegio Nueva Granada, encourage their son/daughter to marry someone of Jewish background in order to continue with the religion within their family tree. Catholic parents, on the other hand, still wish that their kids would marry someone who holds the same traditions, but not as strictly as other cultures.

Even though these two statements are fairly similar, we can still see the role religion has on what we believe the world should be like. Although these strict values were taught to us since we were infants, being in such a diverse environment five days of the week for almost our entire life has clearly had an effect on what we believe is right or wrong. “I do believe that marriage should be based on love no matter what race, or religion a person maintains, but I do believe that although our generation is more liberal with such topics, most of us were not raised with that mentality” stated Paula Salcedo (11th grader). The fact is that we can’t help as our religious traditions are altered as the years go by. With new generations comes the evolution of cultures and religious traditions and therefore, inter-cultural marriage is becoming more common everyday.

While most of these values are taught to us as we grow up, these morals may be altered because of the diverse environment where we find ourselves every day. We looked for students with different cultural backgrounds and asked for their opinion on intercultural marriages. What we found

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Dibtoria’s Secret: El Ejemplo a Seguir Eduardo Carriazo

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ra su primer partido e iban a enfrentarse al equipo de su mismo grado, 12. Ganar estaba dentro de sus fantasías más alocadas, pero nunca descartaron ese resultado. Jugaron con tenacidad, sin sentir intimidación, hasta el final del partido.

“Sabíamos que no íbamos a ganar, le metíamos toda, pero igualmente nos reíamos. Era una mezcla de todo. Fue muy chistoso.”

Hubiera sido una situación muy estresante ésta, de enfrentarse a un equipo que no mostraría piedad, pero toda su preocupación se fue con la risa que les provocaban los GIFs que compartieron antes de que comenzara el partido. Algunas les hacían pequeñas faltas a sus contrincantes para quitarles el balón y entre risas y leves empujones se salían con la suya. Nadie les reclamaba nada. Al conocer a sus oponentes, el partido tornó de ser una fecha seria y muy importante para un torneo de fútbol escolar a algo parecido a un partido amistoso; hasta el árbitro sabía esto. Tenían estilos muy diferentes de juego: el otro equipo jugaba con pases de todo tipo y jugadas individuales que lucían a los jugadores, mientras que Dibtoria’s Secret jugaba con más pases

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rápidos y efectivos que intencionaban sacar al balón de su mitad de cancha.

Tenían una sutileza única, que les permitía entregar el balón cómo y a dónde se necesitaba, y nada más.

Cuando se acabó el partido, no se sintió desilusión. Al contrario, los dos equipos habían jugado un partido memorable, en el que los dos se rieron y divirtieron.

Los deportes son un gran incentivo del espíritu que mueve al colegio.

Los coliseos y canchas se llenan del azul y blanco del Cóndor del CNG cuando nuestros atletas juegan en las finales de los torneos en los que participamos y muchas veces los tambores y cantos amedrentan a los otros equipos. En Interroscas, esta energía se siente a un nivel muy diferente, más alto.

En medio del calor de las doce del día, la cancha de fútbol se ocupa por dos equipos de ocho jugadores del bachillerato que juegan para demostrar su habilidad. Los profesores, entrenadores y observadores sienten una especie de efervescencia; una energía potente que despierta su pasión por el fútbol. Es una actividad que ha sido parte del colegio por 15 años y desafía el orden y la organización que el colegio fomenta en los estudiantes con la espontaneidad y ruido que ya es parte de muchos de ellos. Es un torneo de fútbol organizado por NHS, el National Honor Society, en el que los estudiantes organizan equipos

y se inscriben para poder jugar. Cada equipo tiene la libertad de diseñar su uniforme, y los partidos son arbitrados por profesores de educación física y entrenadores de fútbol. La final se juega el día que se celebra Halloween en el colegio, el 31 de octubre o el viernes anterior de cada año, y el premio por ganar es un trofeo y pizza para los integrantes del equipo.

El deporte más solicitado del colegio es el fútbol, para hombres y mujeres, pero en Interroscas casi que no hay presencia femenina. ¿Por qué?

Este año Interroscas ha sido especial, porque por primera vez desde hace mucho tiempo hay mujeres participando en este torneo. Este año, los equipos Dibtoria’s Secret, De Todito FC, y KFC fueron conformados completamente por mujeres y aunque jugaron contra los otros equipos, de hombres, no se vieron muchas faltas en los partidos, por respeto y cortesía hacia las mujeres.

Lamentablemente, en muchos casos, Interroscas se convierte en un escenario para demostrar la fortaleza de los jugadores y pasa de ser fútbol a ser algo más parecido al rugby. Algunos equipos juegan por diversión –y por las reglas–, pero cuando se encuentran dos equipos en desacuerdo con la penalización de una falta, o hasta el resultado final, y están dispuestos a defender su posición de cualquier manera, se convierte en una apasionada competencia de virilidad en la que se pegan golpes y hasta se rompen huesos en algunos

casos. Para algunos jugadores hombres, Interroscas es un escenario donde se pueden dejar llevar por un instinto de uchador que se desencadena con desacuerdos en la cancha o con ver a un jugador menos musculoso para poder entrarle fuertemente y alardear de la fortaleza del atacante.

A diferencia de los hombres que exacerban estos conflictos, las mujeres en este torneo, aunque siempre juegan con dureza y hasta alguna agresividad, en Interroscas le ponen al juego un toque de cortesía y educación, todos los partidos siendo contra hombres. ¿Si las mujeres de este torneo juegan con todo su coraje y pasión, son respetadas en la cancha, y juegan fútbol a un nivel excelente, por qué no se ve más su participación en Interroscas?

Las mujeres no necesitan probar que son las mejores jugadoras de su escuela. Una jugadora del equipo Dibtoria’s Secret contó su experiencia en Interroscas, más de diversión que de competencia:

“Queríamos ganar, pero estaba en nuestras fantasías. El torneo fue más para pasarla rico, y era muy chévere”.

Interroscas es un torneo organizado y bien pensado, pero va a perder esa esencia si algunos lo siguen usando como un escenario de violencia, y si los directores de la escuela alta deciden que es un evento muy peligroso para que jueguen los estudiantes, podrían cancelarlo.

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Unbalanced Mentality Susie Kim depression that I faced most discrimination.

I think it’s fantastic we have come so far as a society – in many ways, become less discriminatory – but we have a long way to go on mental health. For me, it’s been the biggest taboo.” His experience gives us a lot to think about, and it makes it clear that mental health is a taboo, and the existence of said taboo has nothing but negative consequences.

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ccording to a study where 2000 participants answered a survey, it is harder for individuals to reveal they suffer from a mental disorder than to reveal their homosexuality. Most people then came to think that people with mental illnesses lack responsibility in their tasks. The study’s author also mentioned that “perhaps it’s no surprise that a separate study found fewer than four in 10 employers would feel able to employ someone with a mental health problem.” People who suffer from an unstable mental health within our society are seen and treated differently. They can easily be found around us. In the same study, an Asian shares his story. “I’m Asian, I’m gay, and I have faced discrimination – but not for the reasons most people think,” he says. “It was actually when I got

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Mental illnesses affect a much larger portion of people than one can imagine.

Currently, many countries face mental health crises and the issue is treated differently from physical ailments. While there are exact procedures and medications for physical illnesses, the care needed for mental conditions is still a mystery to many professionals. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) said, “mental disorders are common throughout the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year, and that, overall, only about half of those affected receive treatment”. Many studies show that diverse disorders make it hard for doctors to determine a specific cure for a certain disorder. Moreover, patients themselves don’t feel inclined to get treated because they feel shamed and humiliated.

Overall, in order to unravel the taboo of mental unwellness, a positive attitude towards the health care of mental wellness and psychiatry is essential. Better educational measures should be aroused in society along with optimistic perceptions of mental disorders. In doing so, the discrimination and contempt of psychiatric infirmities can be diminished and hopefully eliminated in society.

The Taboo Around Piercings and Tattoos Kelly Browne

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hen I first told my grandfather about my tattoo he stopped in his tracks and instantly I noticed that the way he looked at me changed. He was disappointed.

He wasn’t able to stop my mother from getting tattooed, he couldn’t stop my sister, and he also wasn’t able to stop me.

However, what struck me the most wasn’t my grandfather’s disapproval (I already saw it coming even before getting the tattoo), it was what he said next: “At least you got it in a place where no one can see it.” This comment not only struck me as antiquated, but made me wonder: how come my grandfather and many others see tattoos as taboos while I didn’t? Why are tattoos considered so wrong in many societies?

Tattooing has been practiced in cultures all around the world for even longer than most of us expect, skin ink is a practice that has been around for thousands of years. It is one of the oldest forms of art, laden with as many different meanings as there are global cultures. The meaning behind them usually symbolized a certain skill someone had or a test they had gone through and passed successfully.

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For example, in Borneo, women tattooed symbols on their forearm indicating their particular skill. If a woman wore a symbol indicating she was a skilled weaver, her status as prime marriageable material increased. Taking this into account, how come nowadays it’s not as acceptable as it was once before?

Tattoos are known as job stoppers, and that’s the main reason why many people don’t like them or want them on their skin. Skinfo.com found in their research that 37% of Human Resources managers cite tattoos as the third-most-likely physical attribute to limit career potential.

I suddenly understood why my grandfather said the things he said. At least if I got the tattoo somewhere where no one could see it, it wouldn’t stop me from getting a job as I got older. I still found this completely unfair, how come law on workplace equality does not protect people with tattoos? And even the stigma behind tattoos on the workplace had to come from somewhere else. Tattoos aren’t just not accepted in the office spaces, but in western society as a whole.

The first thought that came to my head as to why tattoos wouldn’t be as accepted in society nowadays was the pain that getting a tattoo comes with.

As human beings we want to avoid pain at all costs, and the idea of inflicting this on oneself may sound very horrid to some. However, the pain also brings more meaning to this body art. Some might argue it wouldn’t be as meaningful if it was like a temporary water tattoo that comes inside the bag of chips. Like the famous saying says: “Beauty is Pain.”

Nonetheless, even though many might be scared of tattoos because of the painful process, in western cultures havingyour skin inked also linked you to being an outsider. Tattoos used to be the mark of those living outside of society’s rules (outlaws), like criminals, bikers, soldiers, and gang members. Religion has also played a huge part on the hysteria around skin ink; tattoos were considered ‘pagan’ rituals that were worn by aboriginal and native people. “Good God-fearing” people were lead to believe tattooed people were very violent and maybe even headhunters or cannibals.

Even in modern times, certain people still use tattoos as a way to intimidate others and the collective view of tattooed people as being ‘scary’ still persists. However, times are changing and this is view is no longer as common as it used to be.

As societies become more liberal, tattoos are becoming more socially accepted. This is due to many reasons but mostly because they’re now seen as a form of self-expression. Tattoos have become more than just ink within your skin; they’re seen as ways to express yourself and also as art done by the tattoo artist. The art of tattoos has become more scientific and more praised. It takes much more to be a tattoo artist than just being able to write ‘Mom’ in a heart on someone’s shoulder: it takes a lot of artistic ability to be considered a good tattoo artist. Tattoos have now become walking art instead of walking monstrosities. In today’s society, tattoos are no longer frowned upon, but praised and envied by many.

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How Pop Culture Has Broken Taboos Ana Natiello & Camilo Medina

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aboos have both progressed and disappeared through time, but social taboos like gender, sexuality, and anxiety disorders are recurrent ones that are often undiscussed. However, through a lot of effort and support they are being broken and spoken freely. It is hard to believe that thirty years ago gay marriage was illegal, marijuana was a main target in the war on drugs, and social media didn’t even exist. Topics like gender were very straight-forward, with society only acknowledging males and females, and depression was considered a taboo to discuss because it would be embarrassing to admit such a condition. Fortunately, as pop culture has grown and celebrities have openly talked about similar personal issues they’ve gone through, acceptance and tolerance have mitigated and broken the taboos in our society.

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Sexual orientation has been, for several years, a controversial topic that has created tension and dispute among people. For the last few centuries, society remained closed off to ideas relating to sexual orientation. In our modern world, we see that pop culture has faced these

matters and used its social media platforms as a channel to voice their concerns about social issues. For example, Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, came out as a transgender in 2015. She converted to a woman and has used her popularity amongst the public to educate and help others going through the identity crisis that she experienced.

Standing up for others in her same situation, Jenner states, “I have a voice, there are so many that do not have a voice. I can’t speak for them. But I’m an expert on my story.” Another advocate for LGBT rights would be Laverne Cox, she is known for her role in Orange is the New Black. Laverne Cox, came out as a woman in 2016 and since then has been an active voice for the LGBT minority. She demonstrates her view of social change by stating, “seeing a black transgender woman embracing and loving everything about herself might be inspiring to some other folks.” By using their fame and role in pop culture, we can see how the LGBT community has diminished the taboos in regards to topics of gender and sexuality.

Depression and suicide are often undiscussed because of how socially unacceptable it is to admit suffering from these issues. Individuals tend to feel repressed so they often never speak up about their hardships. Lots of people act in accordance to how we want to be perceived by society; that is being seen as a strong, independent individual rather than as weak, lonely, and sad. Nevertheless, throughout the years, more and more people have spoken out for these issues that continue to affect 25 million Americans every year, helping them cope with their difficulties and seek for help. In pop culture, many celebrities have admitted to being victims of this silent killer and joined the cause to support others that suffer similar

anxiety disorders in order to foster prevention and help them overcome it. One of the most recent efforts to emphasize the severity of depression and suicide in pop culture was done by famous rapper Logic, who in his most recent album “Everybody,” released in 2017, discussed the issues he faced while growing up in a bad neighborhood with drug and alcoholic parents. One of the songs in his album, “1-800-273-8255,” features popular artists Alessia Cara and fellow singer Khalid, and talks about the difficulties of depression and how he (Logic) felt tempted to commit suicide at times during his childhood. The phone number in the song’s title is the number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifline, in which Logic released it with partnership to the NSPL. He uses his lyrics in the song to help “all of you who are in a dark place and can’t seem to find the light.” These efforts by celebrities can truly help break the taboo of suicide and depression by inviting people who need assistance or support to seek help. When people realize that there are others suffering from the same issues and that widely acclaimed celebrities admit to having similar thoughts, they feel less drawn towards hiding them from the public and instead find help.

Pop culture is a topic that is always changing and evolving. What was once considered ‘inappropriate’ and ‘wrong’ is now being challenged by famous figures.

The medium of social change has developed through music and public characters who have the fame and publicity to voice their ideas. As topics revolving around minorities, mental health, politics, religion, and spirituality become public in our society, taboos will crumble for the better.

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Taboos Now and Then Seo Young Shin Although taboos are less common today than they once were, they have long been used to maintain social order. What kinds of taboos around the world have changed throughout history?

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t’s a nice weekend. You become a sack of potatoes in your couch and have the happiest time you’ve had in ages.

You turn on the TV, and you are easily be able to encounter programs covering tattoo shops and homosexuality. While TV is broadcasting advertisements such as sanitary pads and condoms, you get bored and start flipping through some interesting cool-looking magazines. It’s full of images of fancy models from Victoria’s Secret fashion shows who are more than half-naked, barely covered in clothes. In the 21st century, none of these seem at all strange and take up a big part in our lives, but not too long ago such topics were unquestionably taboos. The classical meaning of taboo is something that’s forbidden for religious or social reasons. For instance, the Hebrew Bible identifies eating pork as taboo because pigs are unclean animals. In a modern context, however, the word taboo is less specific and often used to describe something

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that’s considered socially unacceptable or controversial. In television, subjects like sex were once considered off-limits because many felt that it was inappropriate to discuss such things publicly. It’s only recently that society’s attitudes about these topics have changed. Here are some examples of social taboos that have changed throughout history.

To start off, divorce was considered a social taboo because it was perceived as not only undermining the family and the ancestors who were the reason for one’s existence in the first place, but also, breaking up the most valued social institution - marriage. These were the common thoughts until about 50 or 60 years ago.

In contrast, nowadays, as we all know, divorce rates are exceedingly high.

According to ‘Business Insider’, the divorce rate in 2017 around the world is about 50%. Divorce is no more an indication which shows someone is unstable. It now portrays that either the man or the woman is independent and has strong mind-set.

Another example is homosexuality.

In the past, it was strictly forbidden for a man to like another man or a woman to fall in love with another woman. There would be laws to kill these people, considering them abnormal or even wicked, harshly restricting them in various ways.

Many historical people would get high pressure from others just because they were homosexual. Socrates, Plato, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Tchaikovsky are only few of many. Leonardo Da Vinci for example, was an Italian Renaissance polymath whose areas of interest included art, architecture, science, music, math, and so much more. He was sentenced to jail at the age of twenty four because of the inappropriate relationship he had with a seventeen-year-old boy. Also, between his many apprentices, the fact that he was homosexual was a secret that was forbidden to talk about. As we can see here, Leonardo’s feelings for another man were not a crime but a hidden shameful interest. However, nowadays, most people don’t get any limitations just because of

the fact that they are gay or lesbian. It’s not a sin. For celebrities, how people perceive them is one of the most important factors in their career. To reveal they are homosexual or biosexual is very risky.

However, the actual result of the announcement isn’t a jail sentence.

As the world changes, taboos change too. We must accept and admit changes that are made that aren’t sins.

Especially, nowadays with the consciousness of people accepting the differences in love between the same genders and even claiming the rights for their marriage, it has become a more open society where people have become able to confess truthful feelings towards others. We are neither way a criminal for divorcing because we don’t want our spouses nor being homosexual of loving the same gender of our own. Although there are still restrictions to people, the crucial thing is that we need to make efforts to help one another and tolerate each other’s differences living in today’s world.

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