Since, society in India is patriarchal in nature; a talk on periods won’t be complete without including men. Women are now fed up of co-worker asking about monthly problems, reacting in outburst, smilingly passing comments.
“Is Menstruation a Social Stigma in India? Myths about Periods” in this post we talked about shaming periods in India, primarily at home. Now, let’s extend the debate to men as well as they are also the “culprit in the crime”.
Some men feel that menstruation is not real and women only make excuse to not work. Some say “women are dirty during periods thus, they shouldn’t enter the temples”. Some men even claim they can identify girls having periods by analyzing her walk and way of talking.
Some men go to the extent that they don’t even know about periods and pregnancy. Some believe that periods are permanent. Some grown up boys are even clueless that periods stop during pregnancy and they end up wondering how women manage periods when they are carrying up. Seeing a conversation on periods with men in India can be really hilarious and interesting. The biggest reason for all these myths and period shaming is that “boys should be away from menstruation”. They are kept isolated when any conversation on periods start.
Advertisements about sanitary pads, nutrition, and women’s health have cleared many doubts. However, there is need to bring more men on the board of periods talk. Shaming and taboos associated with periods create a big number of school drops among adolescent girls, unhealthy menstrual practices, infections, compromised reproductive health and many other issues.
Around 40% girls just use water no soap for menstrual hygiene. Some use wood shavings, dried leaves, ash, sand, hay or even plastic to control blood flow. 20% girls don’t have access to toilets.
Discrimination against women and disgust towards menstruating girls will stop only when men will learn to be sensitive about period’s need of women around them.
