These Eco-friendly Period Products Can Change Your Monthly Cycle Entirely!

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

Highlights

Bollywood’s idea of sexuality has far-reaching consequences on India’s social fabric.

The impression of sexuality and body image as shown in Bollywood films tend to implant wrong ideas in their minds and mislead them.

Not only women but men too have become the victims of these notions of appealing body image and sexuality.

An international study finds that women in Indian movies are made to emphasize their sex appeal but are unlikely to have professions.

Spread the love

Since its inception in the 1930s, Bollywood has been the go-to place for entertainment for a large fraction of the Indians.

We all love Bollywood and most of us even dream of becoming a Bollywood actor or actress. Everything in our daily lives from the way we dress, speak, behave, the style we choose to the way we think has been impacted by the cinemas.

We even see little kids dancing to the songs such as Chikni Chameli from Agneepath and Sheila Ki Jawaani from Tees Maar Khan. This shows the intensity of the impact created by Bollywood on young Indians and our society.

Do these kids know the meaning of those songs?

The lyrics of some of these songs go from bad to worse. Have you ever realized that most Bollywood songs that you rocked to so happily as a child were disgustingly sexist?

How do these kinds of songs and movies influence millions of young and old minds, across urban and rural India?

Bollywood films have a great impact on one’s perception of sexuality and body image. Bollywood films are indeed sold on women for they focus on objectifying women, but these methods adopted to portray women are not only limited to the screen but have a social impact too.

Misogyny is not a new thing in Bollywood

Cinema has far-reaching consequences on the young minds of Indians and Bollywood’s portrayal of women has been stereotypical for way too long.

For a long time, Bollywood romances have solely been an expression of male desire with women having no say. They are portrayed as eye-candy and hyper-sexualized in most of the advertising posters to attract the audience and added to the fuel are the item songs where a female in revealing and modern clothes dances amid a pack of men.

It is very common in commercial films that female characters are objectified as mere sexual objects without intellectual capability, while men are portrayed as strong, professional, and intellectual, and heroic.

The depiction of misogyny in Bollywood is hardly a new problem and is deeply rooted in the industry. Kabir Singh, for instance, though criticized for the way it portrayed an abusive relationship as a form of love was one of the highest-grossing movies of 2019.

“An international study finds that women in Indian movies are made to emphasize their sex appeal but are unlikely to have professions.”

Women are usually portrayed as sexual objects in Indian films and are mostly used for supportive and decorative roles as is evident in Kabir Singh and most Indian films.

Are Bollywood makers fully aware of glorifying and promoting misogyny in relationships?

These movies have made some people fear that it would inspire or even drive people to unacceptable behavior and may promote the dangerous idea that sexual harassment is acceptable. The success of this kind of movie which glorifies misogyny shows that there is still a long way to go to bring a change in the perception of sexuality among young Indians.

Showcase of Body Image

Movies have always been a very effective means of communication and the impression of sexuality and body image as shown in Bollywood films tend to implant wrong ideas in their minds and mislead them.

The female actor is shown beautiful and attractive with a light skin tone and a perfect body which makes the hero get attracted towards her. This portrayal of the women in Bollywood films has led many young girls to achieve the unrealistic beauty standards of the female actors going through the painful process of waxing and other beauty care with the desire to look attractive in the eyes of their partner.

Not only women but men too are the victims of these notions. Bollywood hero is objectified as a tall person with a chiseling physique and without body hair and fat. Most of the men are under hidden pressure to feel good about their bodies and attract their partners.

Most of the youth have forgotten to embrace their bodies. Not everyone’s body type is the same nor has the same skin tone all over their body. It is important to remember that it is their professional necessity that makes the actors take special care to maintain even skin tone and look beautiful to attract the audience.

While some filmmakers are trying to change the depiction of sexuality in Indian films, yet there is much to be done to have empathy and sensibility towards real women and the problems they face.

Bollywood’s idea of sexuality has far-reaching consequences on India’s social fabric. The actors need to realize that overemphasis of sexual scenes can have a huge impact on the young girls and boys and should have the courage to turn down the characters that objectify women with negative body image.

It’s time for all of us to take the responsibility to inculcate realistic cultural values among the young minds so that at least the next generation would know the reality and show respect towards others as well as themselves.