Do you ever feel you are on a secret mission whenever you are on your period?
Whispering for pads or tampons, sneaking them on your way to the toilet, trying to wear the pad or tampon as discreetly as possible, keeping an eye out for stains; Woah! I might as well work as a secret agent with all these years of painful suffering.
As far as I remember, periods are supposed to be something normal and good, right? I mean, given the fact that they are the reason behind the ‘living’!
I was a bit excited when I first got to know and learn about periods. You know how everything seems easy and exciting when it is in a textbook.
But when I actually got them, instead of learning how to get comfortable with my periods, I started to learn how to hide and be secretive about it.
Praying in the temple, touching pickles, or food cooked as an offering, were the most flagged activities while you are on periods.
Did you know, in some areas, girls and women who are on periods are isolated? They have to take a separate pair of clothes, utensils, and food to a distant place and stay there for the entire cycle! They might as well declare that place as Area 51.
Illogical and insane taboos surrounding periods have been breathing down our necks for a very long time. They are so hurtful that their effects have been harming the dignity and health of the menstruators. Even period stains don’t last as long as these stubborn taboos.
People staying in villages or other remote areas are unaware of the different menstrual products other than sanitary pads. This lack of awareness is unhealthy!
Despite the availability of various menstrual products, most girls and women only use pads, even though it gives them rashes or worse infections. Just because they have heard that other products like tampons or menstrual cups might affect their virginity or would be harmful to their body.
Why do we have to succumb to the stingy pain just because of such ridiculous assumptions? There has to be a way out, right?
Well, for starters, we can simply start talking about it openly. The more we converse about periods, we can spread the awareness and seriousness regarding the health concerns. Talking openly about menstrual products is also necessary. Knowing which products others have used and felt comfortable with makes you understand them better, rather than contemplating it by yourself. So share your feelings and experiences. After all, sharing is caring!
Every menstruator needs to know that even though periods are annoying and exhaustive, they are not at all shameful. It is natural and normal, so be open about it!
You don’t have to be secretive about asking for a pad, tampon, or a menstrual cup at the pharmacy or the convenience store. Just casually ask for it as you do for any other product.
Speaking of which, why do we use the term ‘Sanitary products’? Periods aren’t dirty, they are natural! Call them menstrual products, that feels more positive, doesn’t it?
We are surrounded by loads of hypocritic and toxic taboos which tend to pull us to the negative side, eventually making us suffer. Let’s bash them together!
No matter where we are and what gender we associate ourselves with, we bleed and feel the same pain (in different proportions)! So let’s not discriminate based on gender.
Wait a minute, if you are thinking you are only supposed to talk about periods with your menstruating fellows, let me stop you right there. Menstruation is a natural process y’all, just like the respiratory or digestive system. Let’s not keep this valuable knowledge to ourselves. Talk about it with your dad, brothers, and other (male) friends too. Even they need to know what menstruation is and how exactly it affects your body. Otherwise, how can we expect them to be considerate about menstruation? Let’s normalize open discussions and conversations about periods. It’s just periods so let’s be happy and positive about it...Period!
