The Timeless Taboo of the world

 

Periods. Or should I say “that time of the month,” it saddens me to think that people all around the world have thought of this beautiful biological process as ‘dirty’ ‘sinful’, or ‘impure’ for centuries before and still continue to do so. Let me tell you I can go on and on, on this topic and a fraction of the reason why I can do that is because of the fact that ever since I ever learned that word I have been constantly told to not talk about it or discuss it, so, therefore, all the things that I had wanted to say have now built up and I am pretty sure millions of girls in India and other parts of the world would agree with me on this.

The fact is menstrual taboos have existed, and still exist, in many or most cultures. I was in the fifth grade when I was first told about menstruation and what it is, I remember that day quite distinctly like any other regular day I got ready and went to school, that day our teacher came into the class and told us that all the girls needed to assemble in another classroom, I had absolutely no idea what was going on but I was curious to find out. Once all of us were seated the teacher started talking, also I remember clearly that not only were all the boys taken somewhere else but also there wasn’t a single male teacher in that class, I was starting to wonder what this was all about but this is when for the very first time I got a strong gut feeling that something was not right, but before I could think to much the smart board in the classroom suddenly flickered to life and on there was played a video about periods, everything after this is a blur in my mind, I remember that after that video stopped the teacher said something about the day she first got her periods and that is how the small secretive talk ended. Honestly, I was so confused I did not understand anything at all, I was not scared like most of the other girls I was just clueless, to say the least. That day I went back home and talked about this with my mom she very casually assumed that the school had educated us well on the topic of menstruation so her job was done she did tell me a few things but after that, I just lost interest in the topic and convinced myself that I will know everything when the right time comes.

I consider myself lucky for at least being aware that periods existed before I got them but I know that there are so many young girls out there who don’t even know about it. I remember the day I got my periods for the first time I freaked out literally, even though I expected that I will get them eventually but still it was scary and I can’t even imagine how it is for all those little girls who are left on there own to deal with them. Why society just why have we not changed in so many years, why do we consider it such a big taboo word? Do not talk about it with your dad, don’t say the word out loud, girls from good families stay away from people when they are on their periods, don’t touch the pickle, don’t enter the kitchen, stay away from the temple, sit down in one place and don’t hop around, don’t wash your hair and the list goes on and on….

We are so immature and young when we first get are periods that we just listen to whatever our mom or grandmother tells us to do and eventually we fall into the trap that society has designed to keep this never-ending cycle of doom alive, from one generation to another, from mother to the daughter. In our culture, we are taught to obey the elders and follow them blindly I am not against that completely but isn’t that straight-up nonsense. Even if something is ancient and is being done for years it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the right thing to do, some things need to change and that is how it should be done.

Every taboo related to periods that I have come across does not have a single valid reason for its existence. I know that a lot of girls nowadays realize that this needs to change and the topic of periods has to be normalized and that we need to openly talk about it and discuss it with friends, family and relatives just as we share anything else. But there are so many hurdles that come in the way which hold back most of the women from fighting for themselves and doing what they think is the right thing to do.

A Process That Keeps Life Going, Aren’t Periods Beautiful?

Despite the cramps and mood swings, I find menstruation to be a beautiful process. Let's shun the stigma and accept that it is wonderful.

For many people, periods are wholly painful and unpleasant experiences. Cramps, bloating, migraines – all of these are experiences that sometimes come with menstruation. And some women have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder , an extreme form of PMS. I know that periods aren’t the happiest days of my month, sometimes I just wonder what it would be like if I would not have to deal with them every month but then each time I realize how it is such a miraculously magical process.

It is not an embarrassment, it is not disgusting, and it is not foul. It’s actually really cool!

When pride for menstruation overpowers those voices of shame, we will redefine the idea of convenience.

We must fight to defend menstruation! Just as feminists once fought for equal rights for menstruating women in the workplace and for better products for functional menstruation management, we must fight now to keep menstruation a norm in our society.

We must send the message to pharmaceutical companies that we will not be shamed into taking their period-erasing drugs.

Menstruation is not a disease, and there should not exist a “cure.” Let’s stop the pathologizing.

Think of all of everyone across the world who bleed. Think of that connection. There is so much power in that unifying experience.

Regardless of skin color, class, geographical location, gender — all of the factors that generally divide — our blood transcends all of those boundaries.

How has modern society managed to convince us all that menstruation, a natural bodily process, is a social and spiritual abomination?

 In my opinion menstruation is something beautiful, sacred and worthy of celebrating.

When I grew up I was surrounded by so many wrong beliefs about periods that’s when I decided that as I grow up I want to contribute my part towards changing this in any way I can so that after several years when I look at our society I see girls who are confident and strong, well educated and bold who know that menstruation is a life-giving process and they should never be ashamed of it instead they should be grateful for them. I want to see India as a country that supports women and takes strong actions against eradicating period poverty. Today I come across brands that sell sanitary napkins like “whisper” the brand itself spreads a negative message to society about how periods shouldn’t be discussed openly, every day I see television ads where they refuse to show red blood and instead prefer turning it blue, are we so disgusted by the blood that we can’t even see it in ads, that makes me question the goddamn human race.

In every way possible we as a society of humans which are the most advanced creatures that exist in the universe as of now need to understand that we need to change our perspective of looking at menstruation.

It is the most beautiful biological process that exists in nature and I think that makes it worth celebrating!

 Period should no longer be a timeless taboo.