For me, menstruation is a natural process and a beautiful phenomenon. Our menstrual blood is neither a result of an injury nor impure, for it to be hidden. Many of world ‘s women and girls still don’t have access to sanitary napkins and hygienic hygienic conditions.
If we as women cannot accept this sign of womanhood gracefully, we cannot stop men from making fun or discriminating against us for it. These are some of the issues about periods I have observed. A few years back, I was wearing a light coloured salwar suit for work. I was menstruating that time. While going back, I found a blood spot on my clothes. I smiled quietly on seeing it and did not bother to clean it. I was not afraid that anyone would see it and talk about it. After that, I had an aerobics class, around 2 km from my home. I went as confidently as I should. I know my friends who would be reading this incident may get embarrassed thinking about it. My reply to them is a big, unabashed smile.
I have shared my menstrual experiences of this kind with my male friends as well. They too say that it’s not common for every girl or woman to be proud of doing so. In other words, simply accepting periods as a natural phenomenon has still not become a lifestyle. People may wonder as to how can I be so positive about it – how or why I love having my period.
The arrival of my period ensures that my whole body is mostly in balance and not many hormonal imbalances have occurred. I have grown in a family where my periods never affected my entry to the kitchen nor made me wash my beddings once my periods are over. I have friends who have strange incidents attached to it.
I am proud of being a woman, capable of giving birth to a new life. The whole process of menstruation empowers women. Rather than being ashamed of blood on our clothes, I am happy to embrace it. One of my colleagues appreciated me for changing her perspective on wearing white or other bright colours during periods.
I made a joke with one of my friends recently about periods. Maybe sometime, I would share that joke on a public platform. I still have a few other anecdotes about periods.
I affirm that the process of menstruation is a blessing for mankind – the basic phenomenon behind human birth. So let’s make a beginning so that young minds are not again making the distinction between a menstruating woman and someone not on period. There is almost nothing which a woman on her menstrual cycle cannot do. So why do we stop or restrict her from participating in any of the household works, any physical activity, and intimate action? It is different when some women or girls themselves have accepted the norms imposed upon them and don’t want to make efforts to bring change.
On this World Menstrual Hygiene Day, I am waiting for my monthly cycle and smiling while editing this write-up. Wondering when things as basic as eating besan curry during periods would change.
Various organisations around the world have joined hands to achieve Menstrual Hygiene for all. I wish good luck to them for all their sincere endeavours. For me, menstruation is a natural process and a beautiful phenomenon. Our menstrual blood is neither a result of an injury nor impure, for it to be hidden. Many of world ‘s women and girls still don’t have access to sanitary napkins and hygienic sanitary conditions.
If we as women cannot accept this sign of womanhood gracefully, we cannot stop men from making fun or discriminating against us for it. These are some of the issues about periods I have observed. A few years back, I was wearing a light coloured salwar suit for work. I was menstruating that time. While going back, I found a blood spot on my clothes. I smiled quietly on seeing it and did not bother to clean it. I was not afraid that anyone would see it and talk about it. After that, I had an aerobics class, around 2 km from my home. I went as confidently as I should. I know my friends who would be reading this incident may get embarrassed thinking about it. My reply to them is a big, unabashed smile.
I have shared my menstrual experiences of this kind with my male friends as well. They too, say that it’s not common for every girl or woman to be proud of doing so. In other words, simply, accepting periods as a natural phenomenon has still not become a lifestyle. People may wonder as to how can I be so positive about it – how or why I love having my period.
The arrival of my period ensures that my whole body is mostly in balance and not many hormonal imbalances have occurred. I have grown in a family where my periods never affected my entry to the kitchen nor I was expected to wash my beddings once my periods are over. I have friends who have strange incidents attached to it.
I am proud of being a woman, capable of giving birth to a new life. The whole process of menstruation empowers women. Rather than being ashamed about blood on our clothes, I am happy to embrace it. One of my colleagues appreciated me for changing her perspective on wearing white or other bright colours during periods.
I made a joke with one of my friends recently about periods. Maybe sometime, I would share that joke on a public platform. I still have a few other anecdotes about periods.
I affirm that the process of menstruation is a blessing for mankind – the basic phenomenon behind human birth. So let’s make a beginning so that young minds are not again making the distinction between a menstruating woman and someone not on period. There is almost nothing which a woman on her menstrual cycle cannot do. So why do we stop or restrict her from participating in any of the household works, any physical activity, and intimate action? It is different when some women or girls themselves have accepted the norms imposed upon them and don’t want to make efforts to bring change.
On this World Menstrual Hygiene Day, I am waiting for my monthly cycle and smiling while editing this write-up. Wondering when things as basic as eating besan curry during periods would change.
Various organisations around the world have joined hands to achieve Menstrual Hygiene for all. I wish good luck to them for all their sincere endeavours.