Editorial: No shame in bodily functions

Abstract

There are some things that individuals, families, societies, nations, and even the world as a whole will not acknowledge, talk about, or countenance. These are the forbidden topics or taboos. According to the dictionary, taboos are matters which are ‘… banned or restricted by social custom’. Why do taboos exist? Because they are too difficult or perhaps too disgusting to discuss – we fear them, we don’t have easy answers for them, and we wish they would go away. We may or may not be able to prevent them happening, but at least we can avoid discussing them. They are real and significant, and we may think we can do nothing about them, so we bury our heads in our hands or in the proverbial sand, and refuse to acknowledge them.