University experts will discuss some of the most taboo topics of our time at an upcoming talk.

University of Worcester lecturers will tackle some of the most controversial and unspoken issues during a new series at The Hive in the coming weeks.

The series, the 'Talking Taboos Discussion Group', will bring to surface topics such as fat activism, sex, and 'cancel culture'.

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The first talk will delve into 'Fat Activism in a Health and Image Obsessed World', with Robyn Platt, investigating the close connection between beauty standards linked to size, shape, and body condition.

It will analyse society's perspective on people's bodies as a representation of their character.

The following week, Holly Barnes-Bennetts will discuss 'Sex, Consent and Cultures of Silence'.

A lecturer in media and film studies, and a cultural studies researcher in the area of consent, will shed light on complex issues surrounding sex.

She said: "Throughout human history, sex has moved from a fairly public act and issue to an increasingly private act.

"It now exists in darkness and is shrouded in issues of shame and embarrassment.

"We’ll also be talking about how that has created problems for us now and why that is the case, and why we feel so uncomfortable talking about sex."

The final event of the series will question the current role of offence in the divisive topic of 'cancel culture'.

Katy Wareham Morris, who started the Talking Taboos Discussion Group, will lead the talk.

She said: "There are many social and cultural issues that people still feel apprehensive to talk about.

"They may discuss these at home, or with close friends but feel like perhaps they don’t have all the facts and feel quite nervous about speaking openly about these issues.”

She added: "My topic, ‘cancel culture’ was chosen because it has become one of those phrases which is either used too much, or gets used ineffectively and it raises questions people don’t have the answer to; who or what should be cancelled?

"What about free speech?

"It’s important that the topic doesn’t become conflated with purposeful and meaningful creation of open space which is needed for discussing complicated issues."