Societal conditioning has evolved over time but not necessarily in the right way. We have reached the point where dismantling prejudiced myths and taboos has become a growing need.
One such topic is MENSTRUATION - a biological cycle of blood discharge that women and girls undergo throughout their lives. Despite being well aware of the fact, outdated myths and beliefs about how women should behave at “that time of the month” have influenced our perception of ourselves and how others perceive our bodies in all possible ways.
We don’t want sympathy, we want to be understood. To begin to comprehend, consider the following:
IT IS NOT “that time of the month”
Long forgotten are the days when words like periods, pads, and bleeding should have to be whispered with caution. We are not ashamed and we don’t need anyone else to act on our behalf - it’s a biological process that our bodies have been following since the beginning of time. Don’t shy away, just call it what it is - " A PERIOD ".
PERIOD BLOOD IS “dirty or impure?!"
Period blood has been associated with the social stigma of being dirty, but this is not the case at all. The blood excreted is partly blood and tissue from the uterus and the same blood that is circulated throughout our body. In reality, there is no such thing as an impurity, and those who believe otherwise need to unlearn such myths.
PERIOD PAIN IS “quite ordinary and much like anything other pain”
It is no secret that during periods women suffer from different types of body pain. Though it includes headaches, cramps, and weakness, it becomes much more severe than this. Around 20% of women, go through a condition called dysmenorrhea, which can keep us from doing daily activities for 2-3 days at a time. Let’s stop underestimating what women struggle through.
Those myths we mentioned above were just a few that demonstrate how imperative it is to address these beliefs. If they are not addressed and corrected, the social stigma surrounding them will only continue to grow - further letting women and their relationship with their bodies become more dissociated and toxic.
Our image becomes more and more similar to that of a being who is only limited to their sentiments. However, men have the depth and strength to be so much more. We can take this one step at a time, and it all begins with awareness.
Written by: Rivika Gotewala.
Edited by: Siddhi Deelwal
Uploaded by: Aarushi Sharma