How Periods Being A Taboo Is Slowly Evolving
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It’s a strange world we live in. Violence, bigotry, hate — all things which are poisoning the society and the world at large — are being openly practiced and discussed. But on the flip side, understanding and talking about topics like periods and sexuality (which are also a part of this world) is considered taboo. Ever thought about this? I am sure your answer, like mine, is a big, fat no! The society has conditioned us to ignore these questions, lest we threaten its very fabric. Forget about everything else for a minute and let’s just focus on the taboo surrounding periods. A woman getting her periods is as much a fact of nature as the sun rising in the east or the earth rotating on its axis. Yet, a woman on her periods has to go to extra lengths to deny the existence of this phenomenon, much like how we are told to believe that India’s rape problem has nothing to do with its sanskaari male population. I too had never realized the existence of this phenomenon until it happened to me.
It Had Always Been Like This
It was one of those days when I had quite a heavy flow. Since I was scared to spoil my clothes in school, I had kept a few extra sanitary pads in my bag, just to be safe. During one of the class hours, I was trying to pull out a book from my bag when out came flying that green packet. Yes, that packet which is also called a sanitary napkin or a pad. As soon as the packet landed on the floor, all my classmates who had witnessed it began to giggle or laugh. This also included my female classmates.
I never understood what the big deal was. Thinking of it now, some 15 years later, I am still filled with emotions of shame and embarrassment. This is one of the ways in which period taboo still exists. Even today, women who are on their periods are considered “unclean”, they are not allowed to enter kitchens or participate in poojas.
It never ceases to amaze me that women undergo 3-7 days of the most uncomfortable, physical pain and are still expected to perform at maximum efficiency. And this happens every month. We are told by the world and often our very own mothers that we have to “learn to bear it”. All the sayings and learnings instill the same lesson. Bear the pain but don’t let the world know it.
It’s Not Just In India
Not only is this taboo very deeply ingrained, but it’s also quite widespread in its existence. Like many places in India, Nepal, too, followed the practice of banishing the women undergoing menstruation to dilapidated huts, outside their homes. In fact, their government had to intervene and ban this practice, known as Chhaupadi. And mind you, this is not a very old fact. It happened very recently (1). Imagine if you are suffering from any other ailment, does it seem logical to you that you should be asked to go live outside your home, without the basic comforts such as a proper bed and a clean toilet? Well, it might be news to a lot of men out there, but this is exactly what is happening to menstruating women in large parts of our country.
The Winds Of Change
Even while writing this, I am balking at the lack of common sense in this whole period taboo business. I would like to think that if half the world’s population undergoes a natural, biological phenomenon which causes discomfort and the entire world is aware of it, we would have more honest conversations about it. What actually happens is quite the opposite. Governments across the world levy taxes on products which help them during “those days” of discomfort (2). The mere sight of a woman bleeding sends all the social media sites in a tizzy, so much so, that they ban the picture for violating their “community standards” (3). I wonder why we are working so hard to deny the existence of periods. So, naturally, one is forced to ask if there is any change in sight. I am glad to answer in affirmative. It does not matter to me that my neighborhood chemist bhaiya still sells the sanitary napkins wrapped in black plastic, like contraband. What matters is that organizations across the country are willing to allow women to work from home during those days of discomfort. Women are choosing to run their marathons without worrying about the “spots” on their clothes (4). Even a Bollywood bigwig made a biopic on the life of a man who had dedicated himself to bringing quality menstrual hygiene products to women across the nation. All of this gives me hope. And hope is what the world runs on.
Every day, I am amazed by the strength of the female body, its determination, its ability to multitask and what not. Now that we are willing to have more honest conversations about menstruation, I believe women would feel more comfortable with their bodies. They would finally see a world which would be a little more fair to them.
