Be loud and Be open to voice out

Ever heard of girls or your elder sisters whispering about something that you wanted to know? Ever wondered why only your female classmates or colleagues were sent home for a common stomach pain but you were detained in the school for the same?

Yes, the topic of discussion is ‘menstruation’ or ‘periods’ as many know in layman term in India. The taboo of keeping this particular natural process of bleeding in a women monthly was kept under wraps for ages. This very secrecy was broken and then explained from three Class X students—Misba Khanum, Fiza Banu and Saira Shaik of Citizen’s High School, Bengaluru.

Misba opened the plenary talk titled ‘The Taboo Geographies of Menstruation’ stating, “Mensuration is a process in which a female looses the blood from her body during her periods.”

The girls spoke about their problems while handling their menstrual cycles, which made them to research on the same.

In the so called ‘modern’ society, women still face the challenges of menstrual taboos. Some of the beliefs even affect their emotional state, lifestyle and hygiene.

According to them some of the myths associated to it could be from olden days, which would have been relevant in those days but not now. This entire superstition syndrome of some has affected the entire women community. They surveyed about 20 women, and girls of whom five women hesitated to speak, while others were responsive. Almost all women had said they do not speak about menstruation openly about it.

“We conducted an awareness campaign where we spoke to our classmates and the women in our neighbourhood about the biological process of menstruation. We attended the workshop ‘Kids Education Revolution’, where we spoke to many people about this topic. We also made an online project called Balajanagraha,” said Misba

“We also want to spread awareness to men about menstruation. If we have to remove this taboo, we have to change the mindset of people and their myths towards the same and women, in particular, should stop believing in superstitions and be happy to bleed,” opined Misba.

“In our community it was so difficult to do the research that we had to do the research under wraps in the initial days,” said Saira.

“Along with conducting awareness in schools for girls alone on menstruation is not enough, even boys should be invited to these awareness sessions. This year in particular we have requested our Principal to have a combined session,” voiced out Fiza.

“A colleague of mine even questioned on why the girls have taken such a topic? so I answered them that the taboo has to be broken so let them do it,” beamed Farzana with pride, teacher of Saira, Fiza and Misba.

On why it is a taboo? Heidi J Nast, Geographer and Professor of International Studies and Critical Ethnic Studies, DePaul University, Chicago, USA opined, “Women have the ability to give birth and I think in many places it is the power of a women’s body to give birth that scares people. I also think one of the things that men are afraid of is the incredible power of women on this planet. And when we see the blood it is the capacity to give life, which is always with us (women).”

What amused the audience was the viewpoint made by a homeschooling parent Padmesh, who said, “I faced questions from my elder son who is 13, on how to handle pubic hair, which is another big taboo for boys. If this session wouldn’t have happened may be I would have explained my son after 10 years on menstruation. But this session will make me to explain him now and not later.