A Period Drama through the ages

Period period period, shh shh shh. Walk slowly, talk slowly.

But why?

As years pass by, the aged ones pass too and new ones are born, possible only if one menstruates. We keep carrying the taboo around menstruation but no one really understands why it is that way. Possibly, it’s one of the greatest ironies we live with. It is high time we question the societal system and not our body system. The orthodox mindset needs to be stopped from hampering the new generations.

Why, you ask ? Because the silence around periods has had a negative impact on menstruators and continues as menstruators feel embarrassed to open up about their periods. Therefore, consequently suffering from health implications.

It shouldn’t be an act of feminism to know how your body works. Neither should it be an act of feminism to ask for help when you’re suffering.

So how do we normalize periods?
By starting the conversation on menstruation whilst having the courage to not shy away from ways to make it normal. We must start at home, with our own parents. To be able to freely talk about it with your father, brother, and non-menstruators is the first step forward.

I know many non-menstruators who don’t have any knowledge regarding menstruation. They listen with admiration and surprise when they hear it from their menstruating friends, one of them being me. Parents, irrespective of their child’s gender, must start teaching how it is like to bleed every month. I believe, this can in turn even develop compassion and respect for menstruators.

Misogyny is deep-rooted in this world, like for example menstruators during their period being referred to as filthy or sinful. This is a grave injustice to them and to humanity. Menstruators were made to believe that they would spoil the crops just by walking past them if they had period blood coming out of their body. This would make you wonder, is blood the problem?

Of course not, otherwise a wounded kid wouldn’t be nurtured nor would a martyr, who shed his blood during wars, be celebrated as a patriot and a pure soul.

Even today buying sanitary pads is seen as a shameful act in some parts of India, thus many menstruators start relying on unhygienic means to manage their blood like rags, newspapers, jute sacks etc. Menstruators face restrictions every month, like not being able to touch or eat pickles, to not enter the kitchen, and sometimes not even take a bath. This often baffles me as the one who is considered impure by society, is not even allowed to take a bath.

Five reasons we need to talk about periods:

1. Getting your first period can be scary. Having the first period can be an incredibly scary and daunting experience if you haven’t been told why, at a sudden moment, blood would come out of your body.
2. Myths around menstruation hold menstruators back. They face widespread shame, silence and physical restrictions during menstruation. For example, some myths dictate not being able to enter or cook in the kitchen as the food might rot. Education plays a vital role in eliminating such myths and stigma associated with menstruation.
3. Periods are linked to school dropouts. In India, only 12% of female menstruator have access to sanitary products. The other percentage uses unhygienic newspapers, leaves, dirty rags, etc. Poor toilet and sanitation facilities at schools and lack of access to sanitary products mean that menstruators do not have the confidence to attend school while managing their periods.
4. Menstruation is a big part of our lives. The average duration of menstruation is 3,000 days during a lifetime. That’s equivalent to 8.2 years !
5. We shy away from talking about our periods. In the UK, 64% of females feel uncomfortable discussing their period with their male friends.

If we can talk about other biological processes like- digestion, respiration, etc. we can for sure talk about this one too.

What can you do?

1. You can initiate the conversation of menstruation among family and friends.
2. Volunteer in or be part of clubs or organizations that address period stigma and period poverty.
3. Voice your opinions and lend your support to end period poverty.
4. Never shy away from standing up for someone who might be facing issues regarding menstruation from society. Help them to realize how their body works. Educate them after properly educating yourself.
5. Indulge in sharing simple, engaging anecdotes and activities to make people and more importantly menstruators understand the menstruation process. This helps show them that they aren’t alone.
6. Spread period positivity.

Around the world, menstruators face isolation, shame, and dangers due to misinformation and stigma around their periods. Many of us didn’t know about periods before we experienced it, or witnessed it. We now wonder if it’s deserving to have the knowledge before it even took place to us.

For the bare minimum, let’s spread awareness to remove fear from the minds of people and welcome this beautiful change of the body. Because at the end, how can something that allows life to be born not be considered beautiful?

~ Trisha