“I am standing still right now leaning to the glass shield beside the sliding door. Desperately looking at passing stations thinking how early I can drop off at Rajiv Chawk (a junction stop in Delhi Metro Rail thread). It has probably been an hour now, and my legs are freezing. I faintly recall the Sulabh Shauchalaya, the toilet there. I can’t think much rather than over soaked cotton pad getting changed. I am getting palpitation, feeling like I am passing out..”
Nobody loves getting periods, believe me, there is nobody! If you still think it is, then tell me one thing, who wants to get devastated on a field trip? Or walk up for 2 kilometers to reach the paddy field during the monsoons on the second day of your period? Or even spoil a beach day?
Period care and menstruators needs are often ignored in Indian workspaces.
These are exactly not privileges, are they? These are the situations that leave the menstruating person behind. Not being available in the annual meetings, not getting paid for the absence at work, or pushing themselves off the plan are not likable.
So, we often try to normalize it within our menstruating community. In a few cases, we fight against it, we make ourselves perform on the menstruating days. We stop listening to our body to make us fit in the equality race almost forgetting it hasn’t even started with equity. Thus, the discourse ends with sick leave or maybe a casual day off. But to remind you periods are non-applicable to both of them.
Period or menstruation is not a medical condition. It is a natural phenomenon in the human body with the uterus and vagina. It is a monthly process to get rid of unfertilized eggs from the human body. It is also accompanied by letting out of blood and eroding tissues. Thus it becomes a painful journey for a few days every month.
This situation reminds me of the three terrible days of every month when I am menstruating. I can’t handle my mood swings; keep on cramping over the bed, grasping countless junks, drooling over hot water, and hugging my hot bag. But all the months are not the same. Neither I need a sedative or paracetamol, but I only need warmth and support around myself.
But the periods is also more than that. Our first period comes with a celebration in various Indian communities. For letting the community know that the person can now reproduce or about proclaiming marriageability.
Consequently, it comes like a sudden jump to womanhood. More often, the child finds no clue in the dos and don’ts list. The refinement appears in the daily to-do list for those four days. They start learning new phrases, words, connotations, and sometimes normalizing taboos. This results in suppression of queries regarding menstrual health and hygiene and thereby carrying forward it as a “tradition”.
Therefore, young bodies adopt appropriate behavior. Also, young minds learn to keep secrets around their periods. Finally, they start getting carried away in the virtue of being or becoming a menstruator.
Period-Friendly Spaces
Dear Pals,
So, I have a couple of questions to ask:
Why aren’t we talking about period friendly spaces? Like in schools, workplaces, community places, and travel ways. Why aren’t we discussing inclusion? Why are we forgetting rights while debating privilege? How can you talk about equality when you haven’t started with equity?
A period is not a private affair, neither is it a “Ladkiyo ka mudda” (A woman’s issue). The bodies with penis hung their faces often discussing menstruation over a workplace meeting. Then talking about periods becomes more crucial as it’s the matter of our society.
We are all in this together. Either it is about getting a complimentary/ supplementary leave or whatever it is. But the need of this hour is to think beyond it. The discussion must go around the inclusiveness of our policies, rather than making it exclusive. It can be providing a righteous leave, but also it needs to create a period friendly workplace.
And yes that will be a true step forward!
What should a period friendly workplace be like?
– Accessibility of absorbents like cotton pads and tampons
-Running water in the washrooms and toilets
-Availability of disposable bins
-Comfortable work accessories: back cushion, hot bag, and footstool
-BE OKAY WITH bloodstains, not standing during the presentations, getting extra hot water from the vending machine, and/or something that suits them.
-Avoid awkward talks and blank stare at the menstruating person.
-Talk freely on the issue, but not about the person.
Maybe this list is not enough but could be good to start with.
What costs more, a period-friendly workplace or days off work? Before ending this I really want to ask one thing to the non-menstruating community“Itna jalte kyun ho?” (Why are you so annoyed with menstruators?)Are you losing anything out of it? Just defenestrate all your dogmas, perceptions, and doctrines, and take a privilege to walk along.
‘Chalo’!(Let’s go) Let’s make it better together.