Don't shy from Periods. Period.

Disclaimer : This post is as readable for men as it is for women.

Menstruation has always been a topic of taboo across the globe. A completely natural biological process, yet turns people redder than the blood flowing out of a woman's vagina every month. Here in India, we come across a lot many celebrations for the periods we can't even think of. Be it  Ritushuddhi in Tamil Nadu, Ambubachi Mela in Assam or Raja Sankranti in Odisha, people celebrate it with full fervor but won't acknowledge it openly. The moment a lady hears the P or M word, she'll Hush you and at the same time, men tend to ignore what they have heard.

The entire Indian society deals with Periods in a very secretive manner. However, treating it just like anything else, say sleeping or pooping won't hurt much. We come across a lot many advertisements of sanitary napkins showing them absorbing some blue liquid. Where does this blue liquid come from ??? As far as I know, we have blood flowing out which is red in colour. Also, we don't use sanitary napkins to wipe off dirt from the floor or table. Why then so much of drama ? There was an incident where a lady had posted her blood stained picture on Instagram and was blocked for the doing so. We don't see Instagram blocking someone for posting their torn limbs or ruptured head.  

With the onset of departmental stores selling sanitary napkins, things have slightly changed. However, if you go to a medical shop to get one, you will be handed over a package carefully wrapped up in a newspaper and then shoved off in a black carry bag. In case of an emergency in school,college or workplace, if you need to take a pad to the washroom, it again is an ordeal nothing less than smuggling.. taken out of the bag with utmost care and quickly placed inside a pocket of your dress or in between a book or notebook so that no one sees it. What the hell !!!! We Don't do such actions with a band aid or any medicine. Why then are pads treated so differently ??

There have been a lot many redundant rules associated with periods. The first experience that I had with it was during my stay in the hostel in grad years when I found girls not entering the temple or not touching the pickle jar. Unaware of all such customs, I lived my life in my own shell, assuming that I would be untouched. However, I had the first taste of it right after my marriage when we visited a Puja pandal during Durga Puja and I was told to stand outside the pandal as I was Bleeding. It for sure created a dent in my self-esteem and took me long to come out of it. That was when I decided to say no to hypocrisy and be ultra open about menstruation. Today, I don't go about announcing if I am on periods, but at the same time don't fail to acknowledge it if needed. For example, I don't shy away from carrying a pad openly to the washroom or talk about it if the need arises, with a man or a woman.

Things have changed for good with time, albeit not much. An early education about periods, for both boys and girls is far more important than teaching them 1+1=2. And by education, I do not mean handing the girls a rule book of “ What not to do during Periods”. Well, that list is so long that it needs a separate dedicated blog. They should be taught about their health and hygiene. They should be taught about proper disposal of used pads. We come across several incidents where well-educated women try flushing the used pads which in turn chokes the sewer, causing a mayhem for the entire apartment or society. Gone are the days when chucking a pad out of the bathroom was okay. If you do that so today, it might land on someone's head.

PMS is another monster that needs to be understood. Yes the hormones rage and a lady is actually not able to fathom what's going on in her mind or body. Let me tell you, that is the most confusing time of the month when we actually don't understand ourselves. I have come across guys who blame PMS for each and every bad mood of a lady round the month or at times won't even care when she actually is on periods and trying to fight her hormones.

We as a whole need to be more accepting towards periods. Ignoring it doesn't lead us anywhere. So better acknowledge it. Being on periods is not a sin and neither is it impure in any way. Think about it. Your actions today shape the world of tomorrow...