Isn’t it high time we get sanitary napkins without wrapping it up?
Wrapped in paper. That’s how women get their sanitary pad packets. Menstruation is not only a biological phenomenon but also a monthly phenomenon that every woman has to go through for the better part of her life. So now we know that periods are a regular part of our lives, let’s all ask ourselves one question, why do we have to be ashamed of it?
The whole process and cycle of menstruation have always been somewhat hush-hush. From teaching little girls about periods to teaching a teenager about pads, tampons, and menstrual cups to addressing issues related to menstrual hygiene, come with an unsaid rule that one should not speak publicly about it, which tends to send a message that this is something to be ashamed about. So, from a young age, if girls are unknowingly taught to be embarrassed or ashamed about the process of periods; it is most likely to continue until they grow older.
Take the example of the simple task of buying a period accessory. The whole ordeal of going to your nearby pharmacist starts with him looking embarrassed when you utter the word pads. The funny thing in this whole situation is, he’s not the only one who seems embarrassed, you do too. He quickly wraps the pad packet in day or newspaper and puts it in an unnamed black bag, never meeting your eyes throughout this transaction. It is as though we are embarrassed to be associated with periods.
For a woman, periods are a sign of reproductive health. Not only do we have to go through this transaction once in our lives, but we have to do it once a month, and for some maybe even more. Across various cultures and religions, periods and bleeding has been associated with uncleanliness. Previously myths and legends stated that women bleed once a month to remove the bad spirits or the evil inside them. With the advent of education and knowledge don’t you think this association should have been removed? But as times changed this taboo remained. Although supermarkets now have sections for menstrual hygiene that taboo continues. Depending on the type of orthodoxy, women are sometimes even ostracized from their families for 5–7 days every month. Nobody is willing to address the issue, and women have to whisper to their friends, colleagues, and family members asking for a pad. We are all guilty of doing that once in our lives.
Campaigns like ‘Don’t Hide it. Period.’ have now started to make headlines all across the world. These campaigns try to destigmatize periods hoping to start conversations about this taboo topic and remove all the prejudice against it.
The idea of periods is not only an uncomfortable topic for women but also men. How do we change this? Well, there is only one way to do so and that is by talking about it and through our actions. We as women of modern society, need to stop giving into all these prejudices. And that starts by taking the simple step of asking the pharmacist to hand you the packet of pads without wrapping it in the paper. If we show others that there is nothing to be embarrassed about, we can help change their minds as well.
Menstrual hygiene and addressing the reality of what a woman goes through during her ‘time of the month’ should not only be done for women but also men. Because knowledge truly holds power. Instead of whispering about it, we should speak out loud. Because after all, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Advertisements and branding done by companies need to change, for they are also responsible for this stigma. In the process of destigmatizing periods, sanitary commercials tend to show women wearing white running around while menstruating. While trying to show that a woman can do anything during her period, these commercials tend to negate the pain and suffering a woman goes through. A sanitary pad commercial challenged a taboo that said that if a menstruating woman touches something it rots. The commercial had a woman on her periods touch a pickle, waiting for it to rot, but it never did. Commercials like these helps eradicate and break stereotypes and companies should be encouraged to produce similar content.
We all know that the biological function of menstruation is an essential process for fertility and reproduction. If anything, periods should be celebrated rather than censored. We women should wear our periods like a badge of honor, for the process is not easy. We survive the mood swings, the pain, the cramps, and the regular feeling of discomfort and we do it monthly. We bleed because we have no other option. So instead of being embarrassed by it, let’s embrace it and we have nothing to hide. Let’s now unwrap the pads and also unravel the taboo.
If you have any thoughts on the above topic, we would love to hear them! Please feel free to drop a comment in the box below and share your experience.
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Check out our post on why laughter is the best medicine by clicking here!
Check out this article on the Don’t Hide It. Period. Campaign by clicking here!
Image source: Google Images
Author: Sukanya Mohanty
Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.