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“Times Have Changed”: 40 Examples Of Things That Were Once Unacceptable But Are Now Accepted As Shared By The Bored Panda Community
Interview
There are many things that were once considered taboo or socially unacceptable, but have since become more accepted by society. As time goes on, people's attitudes and beliefs can change, and what was once considered unacceptable may become widely accepted. This can be seen in a variety of areas, such as relationships, fashion, and even language. While some may view these changes as positive, others may resist them, leading to ongoing debates and discussions about what is and is not socially acceptable.
Ultimately, what is considered acceptable can vary greatly depending on the time and place, and what may be accepted in one society may not be in another. I asked Pandas from our community to share things that weren't socially acceptable until now, and there were a lot of interesting answers to say the least.
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Bored Panda reached out to Arizona Professor of Sociology, Dr. Mia Crawford. We asked her to explain to us what are some of the factors that contribute to changes in social norms and attitudes.
"Well, that's a good question," She started. "As you can guess there are a number of factors that can contribute to changes in social norms and attitudes. For example, demographic shifts. So imagine that changes in the composition of a population can lead to changes in attitudes and norms. An example of that would be, that when a population becomes more diverse, attitudes towards minorities or marginalized groups may shift." Dr. Crawford said.
#2
Women being financially independent. Being able to have their own bank account, their own credit cards, and take out their own loans without having to have a man co-sign for them.
Final score:
370points
#3
Being openly gay. It used to be taboo and sometimes downright dangerous to be open about it. Now it’s no big deal and I think that’s awesome.
Final score:
356points
"Things like economic and technological change can also impact the shift in social norms. For example, advancements in technology may lead to changes in the way people communicate and interact with one another, which in turn can affect social norms.
It's also worth noting that social movements and activism are a big part of this whole thing as well! Social movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement or the LGBTQ rights movement, can also play a significant role in changing social norms and attitudes. These movements bring attention to issues and injustices, and through sustained activism and mobilization of people, bring about changes in the laws and social norms."
#4
Tattoos. My parents cried and said I would never find a job.
Final score:
299points
#5
Being accepted and treated like a normal person despite having disabilities and disorders.
It wasn't that long ago people with any form of mental, learning, physical and cognitive disabilities or mental disorders were put in mental hospitals and cruel asylums when all they needed was some extra help from an Aide or counseling. People would be mean and call slower kids the 'R-word', bully them and teachers would outcast them to a "special ed" program.
Some kids never even get an assessment or diagnosis because their parents would be more concerned about the social impact, or refused to cater to the thought bad marks were not the fault of their child.
Now, kids who need extra support or be somewhere quiet to do their work go to the resource rooms, which sounds more inclusive.
Final score:
279points
"Lastly, we cannot exclude psychological and cultural factors: Social norms and attitudes can be influenced by psychological factors like cognitive biases and cultural factors like tradition, religion, and beliefs." Dr. Mia shared.
We also asked Dr. Crawford to explain some of the key factors that influence the acceptance or rejection of something in society. She broke down the complex dynamics behind social norms and attitudes, and provided some insights and examples that shed light on the subject.
"A variety of key elements can play a role in determining the level of acceptance or rejection of something within a society. One must first take a look at social norms and expectations. People tend to conform to the norms and expectations of their social groups. When something is seen as acceptable or normal within a particular group, it is more likely to be accepted by the individuals within that group." Dr. Crawford told Bored Panda.
#6
Cosplay. Especially cosplay for people with disabilities or less-than-ideal bodies. I'm a cosplayer, I'm partially disabled and overweight, and no one bats an eye at the con when I dress up.
Final score:
266points
"Another thing that could be counted equally as important is the fact that familiarity breeds acceptance." The sociologist shared. "When people are exposed to something and given the chance to become familiar with it, they are more likely to accept it. Initially, new or unfamiliar things may be met with rejection, but as people become more accustomed to them, their attitudes can shift."
#8
According to an Emily Post Etiquette book published in 1984, it was not socially acceptable to ask a guest NOT to smoke in your home.
Final score:
228points
#9
Bi-racial relationships & Bi-racial children
Final score:
212points
"Though there are a lot more factors to this, and I only named a few, these are one of the most important ones. These factors play a crucial role in shaping societal acceptance or rejection of something, however, it's important to note that their interplay and importance can change depending on the specific context and society." The sociologist lastly stated.
#10
Maybe someone has already said this, I don't know. Back when I was growing up it was considered bad manners to make an incoming phone call more important than the person that you were talking to, right there, in person. I am still appalled at how many people answer their cell phones even if you're sitting right there in person talking to them. Seems like bad manners to me.
Final score:
209points
#11
Women exposing their ankles.
Final score:
208points
#12
Well not entirely acceptable by everyone yet, but it's starting to be: men who aren't cross-dressers or even gay wearing skirts/nail polish/makeup.
Final score:
206points
#13
Natural hair being accepted as professional.
Final score:
205points
#14
K-12 girls being allowed to wear pants to school. I know it's still no tube tops or short shorts, etc., but when I was in school, girls wore dresses and skirts, and if you knelt and the skirt didn't touch the floor, it was deemed to be too short. In high school, there were about 2 designated days per year when we could wear pants.
Final score:
202points
#16
Females in revealing clothes. I'm grateful that I can wear pants/shorts. I hate dresses.
Final score:
179points
#17
Cannabis use, especially (where it’s legal for recreation,) is much more acceptable than it was years ago.
Final score:
178points
#19
Being LGBTQ+ and supporting it. Also, someone said being openly gay and I’m not trying to copy them.
Final score:
169points
#21
not liking religion. if you didn't like church the church would not like you existing
Final score:
158points
#22
1. Looking like you're talking to yourself.
The in past you've been taken away to the crazy hospital. These days you're most likely on your phone so you can feel free to talk to yourself all you want and just blame it on that, lol.
2. Being an actual crazy person.
It used to be if you were crazy they'd give you tin foil to play with and cart you off to a mental hospital because you shouldn't be allowed in regular society. Now you can say things like believing the earth is flat. Or that school shootings where children have died and it can be proven are just 'false flags' and never happened. Or that the government is a conspiracy of snake people from another planet. And instead of a tin foil hat, you get elected to the house of representatives or a radio show making millions of dollars.
Final score:
155points
#23
Black people going to the same school as white people (but I guess that’s racism) but it was still socially unacceptable.
Final score:
154points
#24
Being friends with an African American person.
Final score:
149points
#25
Not answering your phone. It used to be expected that if you were home and the phone rang, you picked it up. Then there were answering machines so we could screen. Then voicemail, and now we have a call display so you can just decline. I honestly never expect people to pick up if I call. Text is way easier anyway.
Final score:
146points
#26
Not dressing to the 9s when on an airplane. You used to essentially have to wear business suits/business formal when flying. Now comfy clothes are fine.
Final score:
146points
#27
Expressing pro-LGBTQ opinions without first saying "I'm not gay, but..."
Final score:
145points
#29
Being a minority, whether it be religious or ethnic. Luckily, it is legal to not be a white Christain now, but you used to be mobbed or persecuted over what you believe in or what you look like.
Final score:
140points
#30
Accomodating neurodivergent people. Don't get me wrong, it's still awful. But it's a hell of a lot better than it was maybe 5 years ago. Whether it's "autism hours" in supermarkets to lower risk of overstimulation or just not commenting on stims being "weird", it's definitely progress. It's less taboo and less ignored now than it's been in the past
Final score:
140points
#31
The stigma surrounding mental illness has dissipated. We can now talk openly about mental health struggles and even take a mental health day off work. Mental Health struggles are being seen as legitimate and debilitating illnesses that used to be brushed off and people told to "Brighten up" or "Just get over it"
Final score:
133points
#34
Being a witch/pagan although I did discover that in some countries it is still best to keep your pentacle tucked away,
Final score:
115points
#36
disrespect and rudeness. it happens all the time and no one speaks up because they're afraid of the confrontation and i don't blame them. rage is on the rise.
Final score:
99points
#37
Mylar balloons aren't good for the environment. They can short-circuit power equipment and lead to outages and fires. They can float for days and miles and return to earth as ugly litter that pollutes pristine places. They end up in the stomachs of countless land animals and sea creatures that eat them and die. They waste helium which is a finite resource. They are synthetic products that will never biodegrade. They're pretty to look at but releasing them to ride the winds is irresponsible.
Final score:
95points
#38
Now I actually think about it... anything. You can carry a lightsaber in public and nobody blinks, everybody has an opinion but nobody is accountable, and now I've said all of that, I'll let you know that it was what ruined the Star wars franchise years ago.
Final score:
94points
#39
Being a Catholic Christian. The KKK tried to wipe us out. One Catholic priest was killed because a White Protestant man's daughter married someone outside of her own race.
Final score:
58points
#40
Wearing colours at Wimbledon
What do you think ?
Himory TheDreamer 2 years ago
It entirely depends on where you live. Here being gay is "legal" but people are still killed for it, even more so being trans. And try to get a job being trans or disabled or worse, being both, no one wants to employ you.
Holly Bee 2 years ago
Employers will absolutely jump thru hoops to get rid of Trans employees, I've seen it happen. It's ridiculous. If they do their job well and don't eff things up for the company, that should be all that matters.
Load More Replies...
Scott Crowe 1 year ago
They totally left out not having kids if you don't want them. A lot of people are tossing aside the "Life-Script" expectations and not putting up with the "...a woman's purpose in life..." b******t that's been shoved down our throats since childhood.
Microwave Chef 1 year ago
It's not acceptable to all people. My married sister is still hounded to reproduce all the time even though she and her husband don't want any. And there are so many articles and discussions about it. If anything I feel like people should give reason to why they want kids.
Load More Replies...
Veronica Rabbit 2 years ago
I feel like society has come a long way, but we still have a long way to go...
Himory TheDreamer 2 years ago
It entirely depends on where you live. Here being gay is "legal" but people are still killed for it, even more so being trans. And try to get a job being trans or disabled or worse, being both, no one wants to employ you.
Holly Bee 2 years ago
Employers will absolutely jump thru hoops to get rid of Trans employees, I've seen it happen. It's ridiculous. If they do their job well and don't eff things up for the company, that should be all that matters.
Load More Replies... Scott Crowe 1 year ago
They totally left out not having kids if you don't want them. A lot of people are tossing aside the "Life-Script" expectations and not putting up with the "...a woman's purpose in life..." b******t that's been shoved down our throats since childhood.
Microwave Chef 1 year ago
It's not acceptable to all people. My married sister is still hounded to reproduce all the time even though she and her husband don't want any. And there are so many articles and discussions about it. If anything I feel like people should give reason to why they want kids.
Load More Replies... Veronica Rabbit 2 years ago
I feel like society has come a long way, but we still have a long way to go...
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