11 Things That Were Socially Acceptable 10 Years Ago That Are Mostly Considered Inappropriate Today
STEKLO | Shutterstock Like beliefs, generational priorities, values, and social norms, everything shifts year by year, decade by decade. The things that Gen X cared about and were expected to do as young adults is wildly different from the world that Gen Zers are navigating now. That's why it's not entirely surprising that there are things that were socially acceptable 10 years ago that are mostly considered inappropriate today.
From traditional manners to gendered stereotypes, and even social media regulations, even if a decade ago doesn't seem all that long, we've made a lot of progress and experienced a great deal of shifts.
Here are 11 things that were socially acceptable 10 years ago that are mostly considered inappropriate today
1. Posting kids on social media
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While many parents were okay about posting their kids on social media as it gained in popularity, largely without the digital literacy we've now developed today, it's one of the things that's mostly considered inappropriate now.
From protecting a child's privacy who's not old enough to say "yes" or "no" to having their face shown online to literally protecting the family's safety from people they don't know on the internet, it's these kinds of precautions and social expectations that have only come up from a decade of social media issues and experiences.
2. Oversharing online
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As more generations of kids and adults spend time online, it's no surprise that regulations and safety measures have been put in place — or, at the very least, have been talked about more often. As children, many Gen Zers had unrestricted access to the internet and were free to overshare about their lives and struggles before learning internet etiquette, but now, it's considered inappropriate and unsafe.
Of course, plenty of people are still oversharing to find a sense of community and validation online, but for the most part, young children are largely more protected over their privacy.
3. Assuming everyone follows traditional norms
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Assuming people follow the traditional norms of older generations is one of the things that were socially acceptable 10 years ago that are mostly considered inappropriate now. Times have changed, social norms have shifted, and personal identities are growing more unique by the day. Of course, we're not immediately assuming everyone's following the same set of values or beliefs today.
Even when it comes to gender identity, assuming that everyone is cisgender or straight was the norm, but it's now become a less socially acceptable assumption to make. Now, we make space for everyone to feel included, or, at least, most of us try to, instead of assuming the norms of a few are the values of the masses.
4. Commenting on someone's body
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The 2000s and 2010s are characterized by beauty standards, especially alongside the emergence of social media and Instagram. People had the chance to photoshop and touch-up their own photos, curating the perfect image of themselves online, which many young children felt drawn to compare themselves with.
Of course, commenting on someone's body and equating thinness with beauty are things that were socially acceptable 10 years ago that are mostly considered inappropriate today.
5. Hustle culture
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Especially with the emergence of cell phones and the ability for employers to contact their workers throughout the entire day, it's not surprising that hustle culture rose strongly over the years. It's always been an expectation, for many generations and decades, but alongside technology, work-life balance became another beast to prioritize.
Of course, by the late 2010s, millennials quickly started to use social media to push back on overbearing employers and hustle culture. They were tired of watching their parents overwork themselves and certainly didn't want that for themselves when entering the workforce and their careers.
6. Calling co-workers a 'family'
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Even if it felt like a bonding moment and a modern shift away from ultra-professionalism for workers to start calling their peers a "family," it's one of the things that was socially acceptable 10 years ago that is mostly considered inappropriate today.
It urged employees to overwork themselves and cultivate overreaching relationships with their bosses and co-workers. It guilts them into taking on more work than they can handle and coming in during "off" hours, because who would leave their family to suffer?
7. Expecting women to be 'nice' and agreeable
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While there are many gender stereotypes and stigmas pressuring women into a smaller version of themselves still today, there's no denying that this kind of pressure and discrimination is more widely spoken about today.
Especially with the presence of social media, the accessibility of information, and the widespread reach of complex topics for understanding, it's not surprising that it's more common for people to avoid assumptions and expectations like this today for the women in their lives.
8. Making assumptions about consent
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Learning about consent and teaching people how to respect others in every type of relationship is still a work in progress today, but there's no denying that we've made wild shifts over the last decade in this realm. In a world that used to promote accepting silence as consent, we've come a long way.
It's one of the things that was socially acceptable 10 years ago that is mostly considered inappropriate today, with a million other nuances and things to consider.
9. Not talking about emotions at all
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Of course, every household and relationship takes on its own unique dynamic, but for the most part, especially when it comes to relationship experts and healthy couples, withholding and suppressing emotions is something that was only expected a few decades ago.
We've made strides in mental health awareness and started to unpack the toxic "masculine" expectations many men are held to, making vulnerability a much more accessible experience for everyone. But it's still a challenge for many people, whether rooted in gender dynamics or unresolved trauma. However, it's more accepted today, especially among men, to be more emotional and in touch with their feelings.
10. Manners like 'respect your elders'
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Many older Gen Zers and millennials are turning traditional, moral manners like "respect your elders" on their heads. Why offer respect to someone who very clearly mistreats, undermines, and invalidates you? Shouldn't respect be a two-way street?
These are all modern ideas that define the thought process of young people today, who aren't afraid to change things up. Of course, these things were more than socially acceptable 10 years ago — they were the norm.
11. Assuming everyone wants to have children
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Whether it's assumptions of marriage, straightness, or children, expecting people to follow traditional paths in their adult lives is something that was far more common a decade ago. As younger generations of millennials and Gen Zers have ushered in a new wave of progressive values and norms, it's not surprising that with them comes a shift in what's considered the "norm."
Of course, many people can't afford to get married or have children to begin with, but some of this shift is also defined by changing attitudes and internal beliefs.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
