Our thinking

See it, say it, un-taboo it

7 February, 2025

If you know us, you’ll know that we’re committed to working alongside our clients and partners to address complex social issues – including those no-one is talking about. In fact we think sometimes these ‘taboo’ areas need more help than others. 

Taboos are tricky. They often hide in plain sight, creating silence around issues that need urgent attention and collective action. That’s why we believe talking about the uncomfortable stuff is essential in driving meaningful systemic change.

A few years ago, we helped set up the Talking Taboos Foundation, which exists to get people talking about exactly that: the things we’d rather avoid but need to address. Recently, they released a list of the four big taboos of 2024.

These include silenced suicidal thoughts, where stigma prevents honest conversations and access to help, surviving child sexual abuse, where societal judgment makes it harder for survivors to speak out or heal, body size bias, where discrimination based on body size impacts well-being and self-worth and shamed SEN (Special Educational Needs) parenting, where parents navigating SEN challenges often face stigma instead of support.

What’s fascinating (and sobering) is how relatable these topics are. Whether it’s your experience or someone close to you, it’s likely you’ve encountered at least one of these challenges. Yet, for many, they remain hidden behind polite silence or stigma.

If we’re going to build a fairer, healthier society, it’s important to build safe spaces to have these rather difficult conversations. So, let’s start talking.

By Sirisha Venkatesh