Menstruation- More Than "Just A Ladies Thing" - Infano

Highlights

Menstruation – and the tools required to safely process it – became just another means to discriminate against an entire gender, simply because patriarchy felt nauseated by a natural human phenomenon.

Stigma, like charity, begins at home.

Imagine if someone told an inquisitive kid, “it’s the superpower that made it possible for your mum to give birth to you”, instead of “it’s private ladies’ stuff, move on”.

Spread the love

This Content is a Part of The Menstrual Hygiene Awareness 2021, in collaboration with The Logical Indian and Pee Safe.

A black polythene bag is closely tucked under her arm as my mom walks into the house, back from the market. Without a word, she rushes to her room and slides the bag along with its contents, into her wardrobe’s drawer. Then comes back out and takes care of the rest of the stuff she bought. 10-year-old me, as you would’ve guessed, is mighty confused. But I forget all about it; kids and voters have a very short memory span, after all.

Growing up, it was hard to ignore references to menstruation, even though I didn’t know anything about it. I saw ads for Whisper, the same package I’d surreptitiously seen in Mom’s drawer. I wondered why a group of grown men were pouring blue ink all over a product that my child’s brain could fathom was very personal to my Mom and my sisters, when none of them used blue ink. And yet my innocent queries were almost always shot down – “It’s just ladies’ stuff”.

It took a biology lesson at school and exposure to the World Wide Web, for me to realize it’s far more than that. Most crucially, sanitary napkins are a privilege that numerous poorer families can either not afford (non-profits and tax policies are helping bridge this gap) or don’t care about, due to the awkwardness surrounding it. “It’s impure”, they say, as they block menstruating women from entering the temple. Menstruating women in some traditional households are outcasts in their own homes. This awkwardness, this stigma, comes at the cost of women’s health. Menstruation – and the tools required to safely process it – became just another means to discriminate against an entire gender, simply because patriarchy felt nauseated by a natural human phenomenon. Stigma, like charity, begins at home.

It was only years later, when I started dating women, that I was jolted out of my passive stance around the topic of menstruation. I got educated in a way that school, society, and family could never; by someone who needed to share how she felt when PMS’ing, just like she would after a bad day at work. Stigma was thrown out the window, simply through an open conversation. That’s all it took. It helped me learn what women have to go through as they menstruate, and not just physically. I met someone who was shy about admitting that she was menstruating. She instinctively felt a need to hide it, as if hiding a fault in her – feeding off of the stigma that clouds this topic. Professional life, I realized, becomes further hell for women. Taking a day off to tend to menstrual cramps is explicitly allowed, but implicitly considered a liability, restricted to one gender. This problem has a far more complex solution than just changing the rules. Changing the rules doesn’t change deep-rooted biases.

I think the stigma is the root cause of why menstruation is harder to tackle than just the physical side effects of it. Imagine if someone told an inquisitive kid, “it’s the superpower that made it possible for your mum to give birth to you”, instead of “it’s private ladies’ stuff, move on”. I’m sure this kid would grow up to be a better husband, a better boss, a better friend, and a better Dad.

Author- Ashish Jha

Spread the love

Remember the wave sanitary napkins aka pads brought when they were first launched into the market? They turned out to be extremely more comfortable than the homemade pads and were decently accessible by girls and women.

However, the constant sweating, sometimes itching and odour that it brought with it was non-negotiable — not to forget the high amount of waste that it generated — both in the form of money and plastic.

Then came tampons — tampons used to be the instant alternative to conventional pads — until they became a major reason for toxic shock syndrome (TSS) — an uncommon yet potentially fatal disease that may happen due to the use of the same tampon for extended hours.

However, these period products are proving their worth by being an excellent alternative to pads and tampons — not to forget, being sustainable and eco-friendly at the same time.

Menstrual cups

This has to be at the top on my list. Fairly new to the Indian market, menstrual cups are loved by every single girl/ woman who has used it. Though one may find it hard to use initially, these cups are proving to be one of the best alternatives to pads and tampons. Not only can it hold menstrual blood for upto ten hours, but it also comes with a lifetime of at least ten years. Imagine the amount of money one can save with these wonder cups. Menstrual cups are not only easy on the pocket but also great for the environment as they are considered to be a sustainable and eco-friendly option.

Cloth pads

Inspired by the traditional homemade cloth pads, these cotton pads are great alternatives to the conventional disposable pads. Like homemade pads, these are also reusable, but unlike them, these are made of waterproof fabric, thus reducing the chances of any leakage. They come with wings, are super comfortable, eco-friendly and easily washable and hence easy on your pockets too.

Periods pants

Imagine waking up one day while menstruating and not worrying about changing the pads. Made up of absorbent fabric, period pants could be an excellent alternative to your regular pads — particularly, if you are someone who is blessed to have a light flow. These are apt for girls who have just started menstruating and cannot keep a count of their monthly cycles.

Menstrual discs

Menstrual discs could be an unknown product for a lot of women, but these are equally efficient, like any other period product. Not only it lasts for up to twelve hours, but it can also let you enjoy mess-free period sex. Though these discs are not reusable, they are known for producing 60 per cent less waste than tampons which is again a great alternative to disposable menstrual products.

Menstrual sponges

Menstrual sponges are no different than normal sponges — but are designed to be inserted in order to absorb menstrual blood. They could be messy until you get the hang of them. These can be reused for up to a year, thus making them a great eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to regular plastic pads.

Have you used any of these products? Please share your experience with us and guide several other girls/ women in leading a safe waste-free cost-effective period life!

Featured Image