The world is brimming with things people simply can’t stand—people, ideas, art, food, even facts. Whenever enough folks unite in dislike, a whole culture may brand that thing as forbidden, turning it into a taboo. History is littered with such prohibitions—cannibalism, for instance—yet occasionally a rule emerges that feels oddly perplexing. Below, we unpack ten truly baffling taboos that once haunted societies.
10 Bananas Were Once Considered Immoral
There’s a better‑than‑zero chance you or someone you know has lifted a banana and cracked a joke about its… shape. The gag may be juvenile, but it’s among the oldest fruit‑related jokes on record.
While most people accept the harmless nature of a phallic banana jest, fewer realize that a time existed when bananas were officially labeled immoral.
Thanks to colonial attitudes, Europeans who encountered bananas in the 1800s felt compelled to teach ways to disguise their shape so as not to offend anyone. In Britain, a respectable gentleman would never be caught nibbling the tip, fearing his reputation would be tarnished.
This wasn’t a whimsical invention. Silent‑film era comedies of the 1920s used bananas as overt metaphors, and Victorian society was well aware of the fruit’s scandalous connotations.
9 Green Hats Are Taboo in China
Some taboos are strictly cultural, and their meaning rarely crosses borders. Take the green hat: while St. Patrick’s Day sees crowds swarming in emerald headgear across the West, the same hue in China carries a very different message.
In Chinese superstition, donning a green hat signals that a man’s wife is cheating on him. The phrase “dai lu mao” literally translates to “wearing a green hat,” and the image is so potent that police may force offenders to wear one publicly as shaming.
Historical roots trace back to the Yuan dynasty, when relatives of prostitutes were allegedly compelled to wear green hats. Whether that story holds true or not, the superstition persists, keeping green caps out of fashionable circulation.
8 Men’s Shorts Were Once Considered Offensive in America
Ever seen a man in overly short summer shorts and thought, “That’s a bit much?” You’re not alone. In the United States, men wearing shorts was historically a scandalous act.
Even today, shorts can be unwelcome in certain settings. Records show schoolchildren and adult workers being sent home to change after being caught in shorts.
In 1938, Honesdale, Pennsylvania, outlawed men’s shorts, arguing the town wasn’t a beach. By 1959, a New York town barred anyone over 16 from wearing them, limiting shorts to children and imposing up to 25 days in jail for violations.
7 The Scottish Are Said to Have a Historical Aversion to Pork
If you’re unfamiliar with Scottish cuisine beyond haggis, you may notice pork is surprisingly scarce. This isn’t a modern trend; it stems from a deep‑seated historical aversion.
Scholars suggest the anti‑pork sentiment dates back to pre‑Roman times. By the 1800s, literature referenced the disdain, and James VI of Scotland reportedly detested pork in the 1500s.
One theory points to superstition: pigs were rare in Scotland, and early sightings sparked rumors that the animal was demonic. Others believed pork caused illnesses like cancer and leprosy.
While many explanations exist, the true reason behind Scotland’s pork taboo remains elusive.
6 The First Man to Use an Umbrella in England Was Shamed
New inventions often meet resistance, and the umbrella is no exception. When Jonas Hanway first brandished one in England, the public ridiculed him mercilessly.
People didn’t doubt the umbrella’s utility; they simply deemed it effeminate and weak—an accessory for Frenchmen, not English gentlemen.
The mockery persisted until practicality won out, and today umbrellas are a staple, but Hanway’s early experience underscores how novelty can clash with cultural expectations.
5 Many Early Cultures Had a Taboo Against Naming Bears Directly
Bears inspire fear, and ancient peoples often avoided saying the animal’s true name outright.
Instead of calling it “bear,” languages like English, Dutch, German, and Swedish used words derived from the Proto‑Indo‑European root *bher, meaning “brown one.” This round‑about naming likely stemmed from a belief that uttering the creature’s genuine name could summon it.
Linguists hypothesize that early cultures preferred indirect references—such as “the brown one”—to keep the beast at bay, reinforcing the taboo against direct naming.
4 Many Marines Consider Apricots Taboo
Marines are famed for toughness, yet they’re not immune to superstition. During World II, apricots entered rations, and a strange belief emerged.
If a tank broke down, apricots were often found aboard, leading soldiers to blame the fruit for mechanical failures. The myth grew, and by the Vietnam era, eating apricots was thought to attract enemy artillery fire.
Many veterans swore off apricots for life, cementing the odd taboo within the Marine community.
3 Kissing In Public Was and Sometimes Still Is Taboo
If you cringe at public displays of affection, you’re not alone. Throughout history, public kissing has been heavily regulated.
In many societies, kisses were reserved for men—hand‑kissing a lord or a ceremonial greeting—while unmarried women were excluded. Even married couples often saved public affection for wedding day moments.
Countries like China and Japan long deemed public kissing taboo, only recently becoming more accepted. In places such as India and Thailand, public affection still draws disapproval.
2 Christmas Was Once Taboo in New England
The modern “War on Christmas” feels like a fresh battle, yet in the 1600s Puritan settlers of New England outlawed the holiday.
Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted laws penalizing anyone who celebrated between 1659 and 1681, arguing that Christmas glorified pagan customs.
These prohibitions lingered until 1870, when Christmas was finally declared a federal holiday, ending the legal taboo in the region.
1 The “Euphemism Treadmill” Refers to the Habit of Coming Up With New Polite Terms for “Taboo” Words
Language taboos dominate modern discourse. Some words become so offensive that speakers avoid them entirely, opting for euphemisms instead.
Over time, terms like “elderly” have been replaced by “older adult,” and “cripple” gave way to “person with a disability.” This cycle—where a new polite term eventually becomes stigmatized—is known as the “euphemism treadmill.”
The treadmill illustrates how society continuously reshapes language to mitigate offense, only for the fresh term to inherit the same negative baggage.