Like Charity, Menstrual Conversations Must Start At Home

Highlights

Lack of open conversation is the breeding ground for misinformation that further feeds into the biases denying menstruators the basic right and respectability.

What is even education which doesn’t let you shake an inbuilt belief system, hindering the evolution of society into a more inclusive space.

Just like charity starts at home, conversation too, starts at home.

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I vividly remember when I was in Class 10th in a small town called Dalhousie, I saw boys and even teachers giggling or frowning on the topic of periods. I was so naive that I did not understand a tad bit of what was being giggled upon. I thought I am so weird for not knowing what exactly periods are! Come to think of it, as a student of class 10th, I should have had such knowledge by then. It goes on to point a finger at the education system where periods are considered taboo even in the classrooms. Chapters on Reproduction continue to be skipped by the teachers.

Instead of being educated by the informed professionals, my knowledge about periods came from friends who were equally clueless. Even with our naive assumptions, I could never understand why the mention of periods invoked giggles amongst my peers. My elder sister had once asked me to buy her pads from the local store. At the shop, much like everybody’s experience, I even noticed how the shopkeeper carefully wrapped the napkin pack with a newspaper. I had even asked my sister about why the shopkeeper would do that! But my sister dismissed my question.

In retrospect, when I think about it, I cannot stop thinking about how my sister and every young woman is inherently indoctrinated to shy away from the conversation. It stems from a false sense of shame inflicted upon them for simply having natural physiology. As a human being born into the gross cultural privilege of being a man, I believe the accountability of narrowing down spaces for menstruators lies on men. My simple reason for this is the fact that the taboos pertaining to menstruation are usually segregated as “women’s issue”. It’s bizarre on so many levels because the human rights of women cannot be written off as a women’s issue. It is everyone’s issue!

Lack of open conversation is the breeding ground for misinformation which further feeds into the biases denying menstruators the basic right and respectability. As a society that dominates every narrative from the patriarchal lens, I want to come forward and be an ally to the menstruators in their fight to restore their “bloody” affair for visibility and pride.

Today, my sister and I have both evolved into better-informed individuals about menstruation. Just like charity starts at home, conversation too, starts at home! There are no more newspaper-wrapped sanitary pads coming home for us anymore. We stare back at uncle aunties who try to morally monitor us. This menstrual Hygiene week, I stepped up to not take away the mic from the menstruators but to engage with people of the gender who benefit from patriarchy. It’s time we step up and become an ally!

Here is where I want to end the article but I have one more anecdote to share if you are willing to hear. So here it goes,

Once upon an evening, my educated and well-read friend and I along with a few of our friends went to the temple. She refused to go inside the temple. When asked, she remained quiet, hoping we would understand why! We did. We failed to convince her why it was normal to go inside the temple during the periods. Heck, what you gonna teach your kids, I quizzed with visible resentment. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite able to reason it out with her. It’s funny how we worship Goddess Kamakhya because she bleeds but we do not let menstruators into the temple. Bizarre much? The Indian culture is so patriarchal that it has trained the menstruators to blindly follow what men have practised in the past. What a deplorable state of affair, one may ask! What is even education which doesn’t let you shake an inbuilt belief system hindering the evolution of society into a more inclusive space.

At home, when I see my sister in law not entering our ‘ghar wala mandir’ during her periods, I make her question her faith which is so fragile that her god will care if she is bleeding or not. I couldn’t much shake my sister in law into reason but I have pledged to normalise periods with my nieces, nephews and even my own kids. They must grow into an environment that doesn’t consider periods, taboo. We have a superstore in Dalhousie and I make sure the sanitary pads are not given in a newspaper bag and are put along with other shopping items. If requested for a newspaper, they get a very 2-3 liner humble and shameless lecture from me. I don’t care if it makes them uncomfortable. It’s time people forego their comfort zone around something that is SO NORMAL!!!!!!

Author: Arpit Shangri

Highlights

The uterus is an essential organ of the female reproductive system, and yet, it is hardly spoken of.

It performs a multitude of functions, each one key to a woman’s reproductive system and overall health.

When speaking of periods and the menstrual cycle, don’t leave the uterus out of the conversation.

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Shaped like an inverted pear and located in the lower area of our abdomen is the uterus. The uterus is an essential organ of the female reproductive system, and yet, it is hardly spoken of. Instead, most conversations about the female anatomy are simply limited to the vagina.

Today, we are going to take a step further and discuss WHY we need to talk about our uterus. The muscular organ that fertilizes the egg, regulates our menstrual cycle every month, and holds the fetus in our bodies for 9 months is no less than a super organ. It performs a multitude of functions, each one key to a woman’s reproductive system and overall health.

Let’s take a closer look.

What Does The Uterus Do?

Uterus and Periods
So, since you were a young girl, you have been having your menstrual cycles. But very few know what actually causes them. First off, let’s learn what the endometrium is. When a woman is of reproductive age, each month, her body releases hormones that cause ovulation. Around the same time of ovulation, the endometrium (lining of the uterus) grows thicker to prepare for a pregnancy. In the case where a woman does not get pregnant, the top layer of the endometrium, containing blood, tissues, etc., is shed. This is the flow of blood that we experience during our monthly menstrual cycles or periods.
Once menopause sets in, our bodies stop the production of the hormones that cause ovulation and menstruation.

Uterus and Fertilization
Chances of conceiving are higher when a man and woman engage in sexual intercourse within days of the woman’s ovulation. When the egg does get fertilized, that is when pregnancy occurs. The egg now attaches itself to the wall of the uterus and begins developing.
A major function of the uterus is to nourish and house the fertilized egg. This fertilized egg develops into a fetus and into a baby eventually. It is the uterus that holds the baby till it is mature and ready for birth.

Conditions That Affect The Uterus

Apart from being aware of how the uterus helps in reproduction, it’s also important to be aware of the various diseases that occur involving the organ.

Uterine Prolapses – A uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus slips from its normal place and shifts down into the vagina. This is common in women who have had multiple vaginal childbirths but can also occur from obesity or menopause.
Uterus Fibroids – These are non-cancerous growths in the uterus walls and can cause heavy bleeding and pain.
Endometriosis – This is a condition when the tissue that normally lines the uterus starts to grow outside of the uterus. It can cause excessive bleeding and pain in between periods.
Adenomyosis – A condition opposite of endometriosis, this is when the tissue that lines the uterus begins to grow inside the walls of the uterus. Again, this too causes severe pain and bleeding.
Cancer of the uterus, cervix, ovary, or endometrium – Cancer in any of these areas can be treated depending on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. Several treatment options are available such as hysterectomy, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Now, this information isn’t being shared to scare you. But just like all other bodily diseases that we’re well versed with, we must also be aware of these. Regular visits and open conversations with your gynecologists can help detect and treat these conditions.

Hysterectomy & Other Solutions

A hysterectomy is a surgery wherein your uterus is removed from your body. Along with the uterus, the doctor may also remove your ovaries and fallopian tubes. Post a hysterectomy, you will no longer menstruate or be able to get pregnant.

A hysterectomy is usually recommended to treat the diseases listed above. However, it isn’t the only solution and may not always be necessary. Depending on your condition, the following treatments can also be tried at first:

Watchful waiting
Medications
Exercising
Non-surgical treatments

The uterus is said to be one of the strongest muscles in the human body. Apart from its role in the reproductive functions, it also offers support to our bladder, pelvic region, and organs and acts as a separator between the bladder and bowels.

When speaking of periods and the menstrual cycle, don’t leave the uterus out of the conversation. If you’re a parent to a young daughter, this is even more essential. Or even if it’s with your gang of girlfriends, try and be more open to information-sharing. Knowledge is key and knowing why your body acts the way it does is empowering to say the least. The uterus supports us through multiple stages of our lives. It’s high time we speak about it, isn’t it?