Today's Taboos  2024 Launch

The Talking Taboos Foundation

The Conduit

2024's Today's Taboos are finally here! This year we had frank discussions about Shameful Sex, Unmentionable Mental Health, Unruly Bowels and Daily Disgusts. Join us as we unveil four more important taboos which we will be enabling much-needed conversations about. Why is Today's Taboos important?Today's Taboos give a voice and space to the taboo experiences that people live with and highlight how these topics are stopped from receiving the attention they deserve. What can I expect from the launch?The launch will be a chance to explore taboo and 'uncomfortable' topics in a safe, comfortable and open environment. The launch is a chance to reflect on the last year, to explore new taboos and to understand how the four new Talking Taboos were found in our research. We will be providing interactive ways to explore and engage in the taboo topics from our report. As usual our anonymous question box will be there where you can ask questions to be answered in the upcoming year.NB: Doors open at 6pm, panel starts at 6.30pm. Who can come?Anybody who has experiences of taboos is welcome- we believe this is everyone. Come along and learn something new about a taboo topic you may have been afraid to discuss before! We are committed to creating a safe space for attendees to learn and be heard. The event will offer practical advice and guidelines to facilitate talking about taboo subject matter. Who will be speaking?Chair: Flo Nolan (she/her) is the Associate Director of Talking Taboos, and runs the charity with Kat. She is also a qualitative and design researcher with expertise working on taboo topics such as cancer, debt, suicide and the Covid 19 pandemic. She is a member of Common Collective.Katherine Jennings (she/her) is Director of Talking Taboos and Founder and Member of Common Collective, a social impact not for profit design and research collective. Kat is a researcher and behaviour change expert with a wealth of experience in taboo subjects such as mental health, suicide, cancer, death and menopause.Louise McLaren is Chair of Trustees at Talking Taboos and MD of LoveBrands, an insight-led strategic marketing agency. She is a founding member of MarketingKind, a fellow of the RSA, and a member of The Conduit. She has lived experience of one of our focal taboos for 2025.Benjy Kusi (@benjykusi) is a British-Ghanaian inclusion and wellbeing consultant, based in London. He helps organisations and people across the UK and the world meet their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, and create spaces where everyone can thrive and be their best selves. He’s also built a community of 230,000+ people on social media, where he produces helpful educational content on topics such as anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and self-care. Additionally, Benjy is the author of “Hope this Helps: How to be Kinder to Yourself and Others” a practical guide to the practice of self-care, empathy, and conscious inclusion that was published in February 2023. His overall mission is to equip and empower people to make a positive difference - in their lives, and the lives of others.Dr Yansie Rolston PhD is an author, campaigner and with expertise is in health equity and providing technical expertise to statutory organisations including the Health service, businesses, civil society and international agencies. As a researcher, skilled trainer and facilitator she creates, affects and sustains change at all levels in order to improve physical, mental and social well being. She works across Europe, Africa, America and the Caribbean designing and implementing health equity strategies. Yansie founded You and Me Menopause in 2014 to raise awareness of diversity in menopause. She is the executive producer of 4 menopause documentary films -Our Menopause: the Black Woman; Queer &amp; Menopausal; Migrant Women – periods and cycles in transition; and Our Menopause: Afro-Brazilian and African Women. Safeguarding notice We believe that taboo topics need urgent attention and to be brought into conversation in a safe and supportive way. However, we are mindful that everyone has different lived experiences of the taboos in this year’s report and we wanted to let you know the sensitive topics that we will be covering on Thursday so that you can make the decision about coming that's right for you.&nbsp;The topics we will be touching on at the event will include:&nbsp;<ul><li>body identity and fat phobia&nbsp;</li><li>suicidal thoughts&nbsp; </li><li>non-recent child sexual abuse&nbsp;</li><li>and stigma and abuse faced by parents of children with SEN needs.&nbsp;</li></ul>We will be talking about the impacts caused by the taboo nature of these topics as part of a panel discussion and having practical conversations about how to tackle these taboos and prevent isolation and suffering caused by the taboos.&nbsp;If you are impacted by the taboos you can access support via Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) or Samaritans, by calling 116 123 for free 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.&nbsp;AccessibilityThe event will be held in a large room, where the lighting will be at a slightly lower level during the event to spotlight speakers and share images on the screen.Speakers will be using microphones to share thoughts and identify themselves with a visual description.As of now, we are unaware if the location offers a hearing loop, we will update the page here with more information.We do not plan to have any flashing lights or loud music. Detailed accessibility information for The Conduit can be found here on their website: https://www.theconduit.com/accessibility-statement/, here are some key aspects of the space:The Club reception is at street level with no obstacles to access.Once inside, there is a lift connecting all floors, making the club fully accessible to wheelchair users.There is a removable ramp available to enable wheelchair users to access the roof terrace. The ramp is stored on the fifth floor and all staff are trained and ready to assist you should you require it.Whilst the bars have no lowered sections, there is table service on all floors of the Club, meaning you can order and be served at your table or your seat during the event.There is flexible seating that can allow the Club to make provision for wheelchairs. The staff are all trained to assist you so do feel comfortable asking for help.There are fully accessible toilets on every floor other than the ground floor.Guide and Assistance dogs, and all well-behaved dogs, are welcome on all floors of the Club. We can provide dogs with drinking water on every floor – just ask a member of staff.

Agenda

Doors open and Refreshments 

Warm Welcome by your host, Flo Nolan

Introducing Today's Taboos: Panel discussion

How To Join The Conversation: Panel discussion 

Talking Taboos and Refreshments: Panel discussions end

Untitled agenda

Welcome drinks

Introducing Today's Taboos

Stations and Activities around the  four Today's Taboos 

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Today's Taboos 2024 Launch

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