Topics and opinions stemming from religion, gender identity, politics, death, and mental health can often leave people uncomfortable, holding their breath, waiting for the conversation to shift. Yet it can also lead to awareness and even closure, making people feel more open, letting them be themselves. Getting rid of stigma can get rid of a barrier and lead to better human connection.
A leading source for de-stigmatization are artists who express these topics in their works, helping to reach a wider audience for the sake of bringing these topics to the surface. Renowned author Judy Blume is known to write about all kinds of subjects – specifically ones to do about teenage puberty, like menstruation. Blume’s books got banned left and right back when they were first published, around the 70s, and continue to be banned to this day. In an interview with NPR, Blume states, “They’re trying to pass laws about what we can think, what our kids can think, what they can know, what they can talk about. There’s legislation going on right now that says that girls in elementary school are not allowed to speak about menstruation. … I mean, where are we? What country is this?”
Books are a way to reach all kinds of groups of people, letting young teens they are not alone when they can look up to Margaret, Blume’s lead in “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret?” or feel less lost in family struggles in “It’s Not the End of the World.” Blume’s books are known to make a difference, seen by the response from readers. From the same NPR article, “At one point, Blume was receiving 2,000 letters from young readers each month — many of whom were pouring their hearts out to her.”
Besides puberty and familial struggles seen through teenage lenses, Blume wrote plenty of adult books tackling other topics, her most popular being “Wifey,” inspired by a time when Blume was a society-proclaimed housewife and beginning her career as a writer. From NPR, Blume explains how her first husband, “wanted [her] the way [she] was when [they] met and married. He wanted [her] to stay his little wifey…”
In the 2023 documentary “Judy Blume Forever,” Blume shares the number of letters she received from readers that were incredibly personal and deep, sharing how because Judy was not afraid to write about these topics, they felt asylum in her stories. Blume’s writing is a great source of finding taboo subjects imbedded in stories, where people can see themselves reflected.
Similarly, standup comedian John Mulaney shared his struggles in a public format, highlighting his experience in rehab in his 2023 standup special “Baby J,” hilariously recounting stories from his recovery of drug addiction and alcoholism, two topics known to be taboo today.
In a msn review of the special, the journalist explains how Mulaney “does not downplay this part of who he was. This is not something he is ashamed of, but more a part of his journey. Like any person, he has had flaws and personal demons he needed to work through; he just had to do so on a more public stage. He has found a way to turn his personal turmoil and addiction into comedy gold. He realizes how absurd it all is. Some of his best jokes are ones aimed at himself, mocking his behavior at a certain point in his life to contrast with the person he is now.”
One of the most important places to de-stigmatize subjects is within the healthcare system, where stigmatization could limit people from getting the help they need. From a UW Medicine article: “Dealing with a health condition is difficult enough, but when the condition is stigmatized, it’s even harder.” They define it as “Stigma occurs when people assume someone caused their own illness by behaving irresponsibly or immorally. But no one should be blamed for a disease they didn’t choose to have.”
Stigmatization can occur from misunderstandings on topics. For example, UW Medicine says, “Lung cancer, which people associate with smoking even though 10 percent to 20 percent of people who get it are nonsmokers.” People’s experiences may add to their taboo feelings towards something. The same article explains some “patients are ashamed of having the infection because of the stigma around drug use and how that may not align with their current reality: maybe they only experimented with drugs a few times or have worked hard to get sober.”
UW Medicine points out, “That doesn’t mean sharing your entire medical history — it’s understandable to want some privacy around your medical experiences. But whether you’ve had or have a stigmatized condition or simply want to support those who do, talking about them in a general way is a good thing.”
While explaining to everyone you are on your period, or your background on loss and grief, or going into the depths of your addiction may not be the best beginning of conversation, it should by no means have to be excluded from conversations all together. Real things happen to real people, and not talking about it does not get rid of that, but lets people in on a bigger understanding, so eventually we can all discuss things to lead to happier and healthier lives.
