Womxn bleed and it’s a biological process. It’s a fact and a lived experience of many. Sadly, menstruation is still stigmatized and not openly discussed. Even the mere sight of blood on social media is deemed “inappropriate,” but inappropriate misogynistic and sexist comments on social media get ignored.
Social media sites have always been under the limelight for censoring posts on periods. These are the same platforms one will come across with content that is explicitly discriminatory and hateful. But, why does a picture with a stained bed sheet or mere depiction of menstruation receive so much backlash?
Is it so tough to come to terms that womxn bleed? Why is the sight of period blood censored, but sexualizing a body is accepted and normalized?
There have been numerous examples of censorship of periods that have received mixed reactions and led to discussions on the internet. Here are the five examples of the same:
Rupi Kaur
We’ve have heard of Rupi Kaur as a poet, but she came under the limelight when, in 2015, Instagram censored her account. Rupi Kaur’s photos of her periods had gone viral. Instagram removed the picture on the ground that it “violated the community standards.” A lot of people called it provocative and she had to face backlash. At the same time, a lot of people came out in her support. Eventually, Instagram apologized to her and said it had removed it “by mistake“.
Jewellery Design By Lilli Murphy-Johnson
Lilli Murphy- Johnson in the year 2016, put up jewellery inspired by periods on an online store, Etsy. The aim of the jewellery was to destigmatize the taboo around menstruation through art and design. Etsy suspended the account and called it inappropriate and “mature content”. The store asked the designer to mark it 18+ if she wanted to put it back on the site to sell it. The designer did not put it back.
Charlotte Alfamow’s ‘Les Passantes’
Charlotte Alfamow directed Les Passantes, a music video sung by Georges Brassens, which was released on March 8th on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The same day, Youtube censored the video for “offensive content”.
The video depicts menstruation and the vulva which initially led Youtube to ban it by calling it inappropriate for children under 18+, although the ban was later removed. Interestingly, the video also received the Women’s Rights Prize.
A Thinx Ad Depicting Men And Periods
Thinx had released a video, depicting men menstruating, in 2019. The ad faced censorship and was banned from being telecast. The company was asked to remove the bloodstain and tampon strings scenes to get broadcasted on television. The ad was later accepted across all the networks after the removal of the two scenes. Although, the video of the ad is now available on youtube.
Kiran Gandhi Ran A Marathon Without A Sanitary Pad
Kiran Gandhi ran a London Marathon without a tampon or pad while she was on her periods. Her blood-stained pants drew the attention of the media. She wanted to make a point that a large percentage of womxn have no access to tampons and pads. The picture drew global attention and initiated a lot of discussion around it.
According to a website called Jezebel, UK tabloid Daily Mail had first published the story with a pixelated picture of bloodstained pants but later on, replaced it with the original picture after someone pointed out.
Online Platforms And The Apathy Towards Blood
We grew up believing that periods are ‘unhygienic’ and need to be kept a ‘secret’. Women end up keeping it a secret and do not share the issues and problems faced during periods. This whole secrecy, taboo, and stigma around menstruation is upheld through culture, tradition and rituals which are passed down from one generation to another.
The media also makes it difficult to break the taboo and stigma around menstruation. It only perpetuates the existing taboo and stigma by censoring the graphics and images of bloodstains. Advertisements, instead of red bloodstains, use blue colour to represent blood.
When Instagram censors photos, they put across the point that it violates “community guidelines”. This is the same platform, where misogynists, sexist people, and obnoxious comments take ages to be removed or never gets removed. Rape-threats, death threats get all the attention but no backlash.
Like Rupi Kaur responded, “Their Patriarchy is leaking.” Indeed, it stands true!
The author is a part of the current batch of the #PeriodParGyan Writer’s Training Program.