We are living in the 21st century and we still talk openly about a girl’s “character”, and use abusive language openly. Yet, we still feel shy while using the word ‘menstruation’ or ‘periods’.
According to Healthline, “A period is when a woman’s body releases tissue it no longer needs… Every month or so, the uterus lining gets thicker to prepare for a fertilised egg if the woman becomes pregnant.” It simply states that period is a basic biological functioning of an individual with a uterus. There is nothing unnatural or different about it, but we Indians fail to understand this one simple thing. We consider this topic as complicated as the black hole.
In India, men have been debating over this topic since ancient times, telling women what to do when they are having periods. Unfortunately, women have been forced to follow this advice, and advising their coming generations to do the same.
I still remember when I reached menarche, my mother said, “Don’t talk about this in front of your father or brother.” Blaming only men for sustaining orthodoxy is not fair because women too are equally supporting them.
We are finally taking concrete measures to spread awareness. While celebrities and individuals are breaking taboos rapidly, at the same time, ‘so-called’ Indian religious leaders are preaching that women who cook food while menstruating will be reborn as kutris (bitches). This statement clearly shows the level of ignorance about an important topic like periods.
The statistics are outrightly shameful. More than 70% of women are not using sanitary pads these are the analytics in a “developing nation”. While on one hand, we are dealing with jet planes and bullet trains, on the other, girls can not use pads because they are unaffordable! This stark contradiction is a major jolt to any civilised society.
In 2020, there are only 25-30% of women using sanitary products. It’s utopic to even think of a day when at least 90% of the women will be able to use sanitary pads. All we can do is raise our voices and preach about menstrual hygiene. We should unify and fight against the rising prices of sanitary products. It is time that we spread awareness, not superstitions.