To
Department of Women and child development & social welfare
West Bengal
Respected Sir/ Madam,
Subject- Societal imposition of rules on women when they have menstruation and to free women by breaking this shackle
I am Srilekha Mitra, a second year English honours student currently studying under Calcutta University. In this letter i want to raise the problem that we The Women of society has to undergo regarding our “periods” which comes once every month. The boundaries and the set of stereotypical rules imposed upon our sex by society really makes us go through existential crisis at times. I mean this is a natural process so what’s the point in harassing us unecessarily labelling us as “impure”. Instead of doing closeted discussions as it is considered as a “taboo” just as “sex”, We should do open discussions on this matter otherwise this kind of ill treatment towards women when they are going through the menstrual cycle is never going to reduce. People should be made aware of the biological definition of menstruation other than the superstitious one regarding which they are very stubborn which is one of the sole reasons of their callous behaviour towards a woman when she is having her monthly periods and the epitome of which we have seen a few days back in that hostel of Gujrat, How that warden being a woman harassed all the girls of that hostel after she discovered a used sanitary napkin Now my question to you is “How long we have to bear these discrimination?” Do people even realise how much pain a woman undergoes during this phase? She should be handled with special care during this period instead she is thrown to more difficulties which makes it horrible for her.
How hypocritical is this society! they want a woman to be a mother or else she will be cursed as a “barren lady” but they can’t show compassion to her when she has menstruation. They should be made aware of the fact that menstruation gives a woman her right to be a mother.
I urge you sir/ madam to look into this matter as soon as possible as per convenience. I would really appreciate if the government launches public awareness programmes on this issue to awaken people’s conscience. It would be really kind if the government also makes sanitary napkins free for women so that all classes of women can afford. Moreover vending machines containing free sanitary napkins in college and schools should be set up to save girls from public embarrassment. I hope you understand sir what I wanted to convey and put my words into quick action.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Srilekha Mitra.