Many Pune students say the openness to discuss topics once seen as taboos reflects changing social attitudes shaped by education and social media exposure.Written by Vishakha ToshniwalConversations around menstruation, sex, life choices, and personal relationships, which were once considered taboo, are increasingly becoming normal among young adults. The Indian Express spoke to students from Pune who expressed how many in their generation held progressive and open values.“Many boys of my age do not judge or make me uncomfortable as they believe I can behave as I want and they won’t even tease us,” said Roshni Khobragade, a 26-year-old management student at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), noting that it is the generation gap that often affects how older and younger people perceive women’s choices and relationships.Several male students echoed similar views, saying that women should be free to make their own decisions without being judged for their personal lives or past relationships. Pune student Onkar Binawade says that subjects like relationships and virginity are openly discussed today.Onkar Binawade, a 24-year-old Marathi department student at SPPU, says that subjects once considered taboo, like relationships and virginity, are openly discussed today. He added, “We don’t appreciate the stereotypes which were part of the traditional patriarchy.”Another student, Ojas Lanjkar, a 22-year-old from the Department of Technology at SPPU, said consent and respect matter more than social expectations. “If you want to go on a date with someone and they have boundaries regarding not getting close to them, we must respect that,” he added.Also Read | Young Edge | Swipe right for friendship: how Pune youngsters are using dating apps for platonic companionshipShivangi Dasgupta, an MBA student at Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, shared a personal experience where she had gone out for dinner with two of her male friends. “They noticed I seemed a little cranky and kept asking if something was wrong. I shared that it was my first time using a menstrual cup, and it felt strange and uncomfortable. They were very nice about it throughout. What stood out even more was that later they actually went and read about menstrual cups on their own because they believed in taking the extra step to understand something unfamiliar,” she said.Story continues below this adReflecting on how personal boundaries are respected today, Dasgupta added, “A lot of guys are very respectful, even in basic things like asking if they can carry your bag, as it is a personal belonging. Respecting consent is also about knowing that you are coming into someone’s personal space when you sit near them or if you probably touch them. People have asked me if they can touch me while explaining something.”For many students, this shift reflects changing social attitudes shaped by education, social media exposure, and co-educational spaces.Santosh Salve, a 26-year-old student from the Department of Management Sciences, SPPU, expressed how menstruation is more openly discussed. “My female friends ask us to change plans because of their period cycle,” he said, adding, “Stigma around such topics is not really necessary as it is something natural”.While students acknowledged that social taboos still exist, many felt younger generations are slowly moving towards empathy, consent, and acceptance rather than judgment.