Unisha Aryal
Menstruation is vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman’s monthly cycle. It is a natural process where women get each month. The menstrual blood is partly blood and partly tissue of ovum from inside the uterus. It is also known as period or menstrual cycle or period. Many people would rather call menstruation anything than what it is but in this part of the world the stigma around menstruation goes far beyond euphemisms. Some women have been arrested or interrogated for their peaceful activities to change this stigma because the authority represents the mind set of previous generations..
Taboo refers to the inhibition or ban of something resulting from social custom or emotional aversion. Menstrual taboos are social taboos concerned with menstruation. There are also lots of harmful cultural taboos about menstruation around the world, restricting women’s freedom of movement and increasing isolation. They are prohibited to go to religious places like temples and eat meals separately from men. In many societies, it involves menstruation being perceived as unclean or embarrassing also inhibiting the mention of menstruation in public i.e. in the media and advertising, or in private i.e. among friends, in the household or with the men.
The taboos not only dehumanise mensuration and restrict any mention of it, they harm women emotionally and physically. We can see a culture that keeps girls and women in Chhaupadi. Chhaupadi is a form of menstrual taboo which prohibits Hindu girls and women from participating in normal family activities while they are on their periods, as they are considered “impure”. The women are kept in isolated huts and expose them to snake bites, disease and lack of sanitation required during menstruation. Chhaupadi is practiced primarily in the western part of Nepal, but in mild form the same is true for city dwellers also.
During Chhaupadi, girls and women are banned from the house, also from interacting with their communities and are made to live in a cattle shed or a makeshift dwelling known as menstruation hut, for the duration of their period. This puts girls and women at an unfair advantage with an inability to reach their potential. Though we all say we are modern now but when it comes to culture we forget everything. And follow the same traditions which was acceptable by the society before many years but now this all means nothing. Menstruation is only a normal natural process, it is the part of development of girls and women health as well as reproductive health. The lack of adequate gender-sensitive facilities is another challenge , preventing girls and women from maintaining menstrual hygiene in a private, safe and dignified manner.
Many girls who are teenagers faced various problems. They cannot talk about it to their parents too. This is what they have been taught about. A lack of knowledge and a combination of anxiety and shame has led to a high number of girls who skip classes during their menstrual cycle every month. This feeling of embarrassment is only worsened by comments made from a male student. There are many incidents we can hear that many girls are teased and mocked if they are seen with blood stains on their clothes and skin, without noticing. Schools must provide sex and reproductive health education to both boys and girls. So, that they cannot be shy or feel uncomfortable while talking about their health in mass.
Talking about menstruation or any matter related to a woman is wrong. Some would say that it’s to do with everything in terms of the female body that’s leaking and seeping, anything that’s coming out of us as women is seen as disgusting including menstruation, breast milk, sweat. What it is to be female is seen as an object that is to be perfect for men. What I would say is that it is a sign of misogyny, it’s a sign of positioning something that is feminine as disgusting.
There is also the impact of religious views and teachings. Many of the world’s major religions like Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Judaism – refer to menstruating women as unclean and suggest they be segregated during their period. These all things are set in our mind than how we can change our society. If women do not bleed then how generations can go ahead. Girls and women face various pain and mood swings in this certain time but she manages everything and smiles, follows every culture and rule because she respects it. But the main point is to make her feel better and rested or be in school or offices willingly not be left out in the cattle shed. Reproductive health must be compulsory in schools and colleges too. Professor Ussher said better education and understanding of menstruation was key to improving health outcomes for women. She also said, “Normalising menstruation as just a healthy, positive part of the female life cycle is really important.”
Although there has been a lot of progress regarding women’ reproductive health, it still becomes a difficult task for us to change the conservative mind set and socio-cultural taboos on menstruation practiced in society. Due to stigma and lack of sex education, menstruation knowledge remains limited leaving many girls with negative and ambivalent feelings and experiencing psycho-social stress, which also impacts their ability to learn. There must be sustainable solutions that shatters the stigma and limitations for girls and women. There are few taboos people have across the world which are holding women back, thus excluding girls and women from many aspects of life and pose as a hurdle for their advancement. In order to improve the status of women in society, it is imperative to address these issues. The stigma which has been created by these prevailing beliefs should be busted. Also it is not to make menstruation a big issue but to take it as a normal and natural process of female life. Talking about menstruation and by breaking the silence on menstruation, feeling free to talk about it without shame and backlash can dissolve stigma and taboo. Menstruations are not too gross, too weird or too inappropriate to talk about. Menstruation is the proud fact of being a woman.