Reddit users were asked a very simple question, “What do you wish was more socially accepted? [serious] ”
The responses might surprise you.
1. Hugs Not Drugs
Male teachers hugging female or even male students. When my sister passed my teachers all felt sympathy and gave me hugs except for my male teachers. When I thought about it later on in life I realized it was because they felt awkward.
2. Awkward…
Being upfront on the first date. Everyone has different expectations regarding relationships and it can be a big time waste if you find you want different things down the line but for a lot of people having a frank discussion tends to kill the romance.
3. Just Say No
Being able to turn people down or say no without an explanation.
I don’t want to hang out today, friend, just want to sit at home alone. I don’t know you and am not interested in giving you my name, stranger in public. I just don’t fucking feel like it.
We shouldn’t owe anyone an explanation and in return should respect that they don’t owe us one either. Rejection isn’t the end of the world.
4. Preggers
Telling people you don’t want to talk about your pregnancy. When I was pregnant with my son, everyone knew because I was huge from the start in the stomach. Everywhere I went, people asked how far I was, commented on my stomach size, asked if I knew the gender, and then often told me about their own kids.
it was fun at first, but I was over it by month 5. If I told someone I didn’t want to talk about my baby, which I did twice, I was immediately viewed by everyone within earshot as rude and weird. Like, why do you even care stranger? why do I need to accommodate you and lose time out of my day for a conversation I have ten times daily?
5. Unplugging
Going “offline”: shutting down your phone and not having contact for a week. People spam you with messages, phone calls, mails, Facebook messages, SMS, and finally visit you to see if you are still alive.
6. an*l Audio
Farting for women. Grew up being told “that’s not ladylike”. As an adult I still question why?
7. How Are You Doing?
When someone asks “how are you doing?” Everyone expects, “fine.” No one wants to hear about your depression, the loss of your job or the fact that you can’t pay rent or about your miscarriage or your divorce or that you lost a loved one or anything negative in your life. When you are truly honest, people get uncomfrotable. It is a strange cultural phenomenon.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that people want to appear strong and are not struggling and their lives is fine, as if having a little trouble coping is a sign of weakness. Maybe it is because people have their own problems and they feel like other people telling them about their own struggles is taxing on them and they just don’t want to deal with it. Maybe it is because people feel awkward because they don’t know the right kind of advice to give to a person who is struggling, so they would rather not hear about it.
I wish people would understand that sometimes when someone tells you about the negative feelings they are experiencing at the monent, they don’t want a solution. Sometimes, it is just cathartic to share your experience with someone and sometimes, silence is the best advice that you can give to a person.
8. Topside
I wish it was more socially acceptable for a woman to walk around shirtless when it’s hot or for what ever reason. And when I say socially acceptable I don’t mean not getting arrested for it (in some states it’s legal for a woman to be top less in public and most people don’t complain about getting to see some titties) I mean I want to be able to walk around top less when it’s hot out and not “be asking for it”, not get groped or stared or sneered at by people. For it to be just as normal as if a guy was walking around without a shirt. Relevant side note: I live in Texas and I have all my life- it’s hot as balls here. I had to buy an evaporative cooling fan in fucking February because it’s been 75-80 degrees most of this month. Ergo I get jealous when my guy friends get to take off their shirts when it’s hot as balls.
9. Life Is Hard
Random boners.
I mean, a lot of men unintentionally get them all the time. Sometimes those who aren’t able to hide it, have to face stigma. Even when the stigma isn’t there, they sometimes get public anxiety. I know at least 6 people who faced this issue, and two of them hesitated to wear comfortable (loose) clothing for this very reason.
10. What’s On Your Mind?
Not having an opinion. I don’t have the time or interest in every single topic. Maybe I don’t want to talk about politics because I know most people can’t do it in a non-emotional way or a way that doesn’t seem like a lecture.
