I had never really thought that I was cursed because I bleed every month. I always used to see the good side. The side that I get to bear a child and experience motherhood if I bleed a few days.
It’s a part of our existence and I won’t be ashamed or irritated because of it.
Cramps, back pain associated with it are extremely severe for some, none for some and something in between for the rest. I fell under the last category. So, yeah, it was problematic at times when the whole class stood up to wish a teacher and I was still struggling.
Some have cycles running for half a month, some have it for just two days, but it’s hardly something to worry about if it doesn’t continue for more than a year. I used to have elongated and heavy cycles during my initial months. My mom was worried, so she took me to the doctor who assured us by saying that these things are common just after menarche or before menopause or if one has a sudden change in sexual activities.
But what I hate for a fact are the social taboos associated with it, like we can’t enter religious places, can’t touch certain things, can’t sleep anywhere we want to, etc.
Thanks to my supportive family, I have not faced much of this from anyone. However, it’s high time for the whole universe to not shrink away from us on those days.
I was also very blessed to be in a well-off family, else they wouldn’t be have been able to provide the innumerable pads I used. Let’s do some calculations. If I used a pack of say Rs. 80 each month, then in a year I’m spending Rs.960 on them. Some people might not to capable of spending this much money on things they have to throw the very next day, some might think it’s an absolute wastage of money. Women are more prone to infections during periods. So, I would, on behalf of every woman plead to our government to not tax things like this. When we can get condoms for free (which is not what I’m opposing here), we can definitely think more about menstrual hygiene.
I refuse to accept that we are ‘impure’ during periods. This is what makes me angry along with how people use the term PMS. Women aren’t always PMSing. If they freak out, it might just be because you have created such a situation. If we cry, become emotional, stress out or have mood swings, it’s not because I’m PMSing. I have no idea why people have to link everything to periods. Girls are more than periods, their emotions are more than hormonal imbalance.
About having sex during periods is safe or not – I personally know a lot of people who had it and they never really complained of having any such problems afterwards. I also researched on Google for the same and they showed it’s completely normal except that it might get very messy and thus undesirable.
There’s another common notion that women have intensive urge to have sex during this phase. I think it’s partially because it then becomes a ‘forbidden fruit’. But there has been some scientific evidence to support this thought, so maybe that’s true. But then again, hormonal secretion and psychology is closely related.
Anyway, I think I have addressed everything I had in mind to spread awareness.
Lastly, we are in no way behind because of it anymore as proved by some athletes, who chose to bleed in front of the world to prove that this isn’t disgraceful for them even if some might think it’s disgusting. Close your eyes, because we have learnt to shut our ears to your nonsensical comments.
