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Men crying -

Crying is not a sign of weakness–it's a natural expression of emotion than can provide some much needed relief. Everyone deserves to let it out sometimes without being judged. This is one of many unfair expectations that causes men to struggle with their emotions.

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Not wanting kids -

More and more people are finding the freedom to choose a life that truly suits them. A lot of women are finding that they are not defined by their biological functions and would have a much more fulfilling life without children. Unfortunately, this still generates a lot of assumptions and unwanted questions.

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Breastfeeding in public -

If we didn't hold on to such archaic ideas about shame and decency, and over-sexualize women's bodies, there would be no problem with breastfeeding in public. Sadly, this is something women all over the world still struggle with.

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Going braless -

Why are we so afraid of boobs? It seems like a global pandemic was the only thing that could allow women everywhere to go braless!

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Repeating outfits -

Most of us, particularly women, feel a lot of pressure not to repeat outfits too often. For some reason it feels embarrassing to wear the same dress to two different weddings, or you worry that people will notice if you wear the same outfit to work too often. This is a totally useless social rule and encourages frequent shopping, which is a financial drain and bad for the environment.

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Friendship breakups -

Most romantic relationships end with breakups, but what about friendships? Sometimes the issues are the same. They don't listen to you, they don't respect your time, they make you feel bad about yourself. It's perfectly okay to separate yourself from people like that.

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Not wearing makeup -

How many among us feel nervous to nip out to the mall with no makeup on for fear we'll run into someone we know? The answer is too many!

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Being single as an adult - No matter how many times your parents drop 'subtle' hints about how much they're looking forward to having grandkids, forcing a relationship that isn't right is never a good idea. There's so much pressure to pair off as we get older, yet most of us really admire that friend who doesn't care and just does their own thing.

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Taking yourself on a date -

On that note, we should definitely try to normalize taking yourself on a date. We don't need someone else to justify treating ourselves–we deserve it! Take yourself to a nice restaurant or plan a romantic evening for one.

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Saying no to an invitation -

Sometimes we just aren't feeling it. It can be so hard to say no if you don't have an amazing excuse, but how much of our lives are we going to spend at dinner parties we didn't want to go to? We need to normalize saying no!

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Not having to explain your choices -

What's more, we shouldn't have to explain our decisions. If we say no to an invitation, we often try to come up with a million excuses so as not to seem rude.

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Going to the cinema alone -

There are certain things that are acceptable to do alone, and certain things that aren't, but there's no real logic to it. Why can't a person go to a movie by themselves, or eat dinner alone at a restaurant? Sometimes it's nice to do things on your own terms.

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Average body types in fashion - These days the fashion industry is making progress by including 'plus-size' models in their campaigns. It's difficult to define what plus-size means, as it would suggest that the only two body types are extremely thin and plus-size. Every body is normal, so why not show a realistic range of normal bodies on the runway? If your clothes are only designed to look good on 1% of the population, then perhaps you should widen your target audience.

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Not drinking -

This might be controversial, but it should be more accepted that some people don't like to drink! Not everyone enjoys the taste of alcohol, or likes to get a buzz on. This shouldn't lead to assumptions that someone has a problematic history with alcohol. Even if they do, leave them to it.

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Talking about mental health and going to therapy -

We're getting a lot better about this, but there's still a long way to go. Many people, particularly men, find it difficult to bring up mental health problems with their friends and family. Many communities still misunderstand and stigmatize therapy, which can make it difficult for people to get the help they need.

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Talking about periods -

Another topic we tend to shy away from is periods. It's not a dirty secret–it's a natural part of life that affects people in different ways. Even if you're not someone who has periods, you should still understand that someone who does may not be well enough to go to work or accept your invitation.

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Being an introvert - Extroverted traits are rewarded more because they're more apparent, but introverts are often more self-sufficient and make excellent friends.

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Sex ed -

There's a serious lack of open, candid conversations in our society. It's been proven that refusing to talk about this subject in schools leads to more STDs and teen pregnancies, but on a wider level we could all benefit from becoming more comfortable and knowledgeable about this natural part of life.

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Living with parents as an adult -

There's an idea that if you live with your parents past a certain age you're a failure, but some people just have a great supportive relationship with their family and it's the place they want to be! Others do it as a financial decision to save money so they can buy their own place. Whatever the reason, we shouldn't be so quick to judge.

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Kids misbehaving in public -

Every parent has had that experience where their toddler throws a full-blown tantrum in the middle of the supermarket. Sometimes the only thing you can do in that situation is let them tire themselves out! But that doesn't stop passersby throwing judgmental looks your way. As if they didn't do the same thing when they were three years old...  

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Saying "I love you" to friends -

Certain expressions of affection are usually limited to family and romantic partners, but we shouldn't feel like we need to hide our feelings for our friends. For a lot of people, friends are even closer than family. It would be wonderful to normalize expressions of love with our friends.

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Tattoos and piercings in professional settings -

Tattoos, piercings, and other alternative styles are becoming more common, but people still feel the need to cover them up for job interviews or at the office. It's unfortunate that assumptions are made about a person based on their appearance that may make them less likely to get a job.

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Kids playing with whatever toys they want -

We've been putting children in boxes for too long. Oftentimes, if kids are left to run free and do what they want, they'll choose to engage in activities that don't suit traditional ideas about gender. What's the harm in a little boy having dolls or playing dress-up with his mom's clothes? It doesn't say anything about how that child will grow up, perhaps only that they'll be more balanced and open-minded.

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Going to community college -

It's strange that community college is still looked down upon by some people, particularly in a country like the US where university tuition leaves the majority of students with a lifetime of debt. A community college degree is just as valid, and it's a more accessible and realistic option for many people.

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Women having body hair - Even though there are far more pioneering women going natural these days, there's still judgement and stigma on this issue. Many women still feel they need to aspire to a certain standard of beauty and femininity commonly portrayed in the media, even though they'd like to leave razor burn behind!

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Talking about our pay - In this day and age we're becoming more aware that pay inequality is a big problem. Rather than the 'every man for himself' attitude that led people to hide their salaries in the past, more people are opening up about their pay. For the sake of fairness, we should know if we're being paid the same as others with the same job and experience.

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Men wearing women's clothing - If Harry Styles has taught us anything, it's that men look awesome in 'women's clothes.' The lines are blurring when it comes to gender and fashion, and we're here for it. Everyone deserves to express themselves and feel great in what they're wearing.

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Talking to kids about important issues -

The traditional approach to dealing with difficult subjects around kids was to hide it from them until they were "old enough." These days there are a lot of big things going on that we can't really protect them from, like pandemics and worldwide protests. Even with the best of intentions, hiding something from kids can lead to greater stigmatization and fear.

Sources: (BuzzFeed)

See also: The "No Contact" rule and why it works

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