To
The Antipathetic Society,
Two years ago, I was quite influenced by the open letter written by Nikita Azad on Youth Ki Awaaz addressing the Sabarimala Devaswom Committee chief, which finally led to a nationwide campaign- “HappyToBleed“.
I was totally unaware that I too would write a letter today, two years later. I am writing this to the antipathetic society of India where even in the 21st century, menstrual blood can swallow an entire life. My letter may be of no use, I know. But my bleeding pen can’t resist itself. However, my bleeding pen can’t win over the 12-year-old girl who allegedly killed herself.
Why is a girl forced to believe that her periods make her impure? My Creator, my Almighty has no need to deal with your classification of purity and impurity. He has never seen the back of my skirt/jeans or between my legs. This silly ideology that society holds so close is completely sexist. Even a minor wasn’t spared from existing menstrual taboos.
According to this report, 23% girls drop out of school after reaching puberty. It was also found that 50% girls in India knew nothing of periods until their own periods started.
A teacher is the backbone of society and they have a major role to play. They have the power to eliminate the taboos that surround this issue. But in this case, the teacher’s apparent scolding itself, allegedly pushed a little girl to commit suicide.
The girl’s female teacher scolded her in front of all her friends because she had stained her skirt. She jumped from a 25 feet building near Chennai. Maybe she was too young to realise that her motherland considers every woman’s menstrual blood to be a curse!
It’s sad that women are shamed and blamed for their period blood. The shaming starts with the whispering around periods and ends with putting the blame on them for staining. Sanitary pads are sold as luxury goods with a GST in black packets and newspapers. But why?
Dear teachers, I would like to deliver tears to you on behalf of every little girl that bleeds and is unaware of the taboo that exists around something as natural as menstruation. Could you work to change the society’s mentality and protect young girls from being treated as criminals for their innocence?
Sincerely,
On behalf of a woman with a bleeding pen