Written by: Niharika Shrestha - 2022022, Grade XI
Posted on: 04 October, 2020
Menstrual blood is the only source of blood that is not traumatically induced. Yet in modern society, this is the most hidden blood, the one so rarely spoken of and almost never seen, except privately by women.
-Judy Grahn
What is menstruation? Menstruation is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman’s monthly cycle. At some point during puberty, blood comes out of your vagina, and that’s your first period. Most people get their first period between the ages of 12 and 14, but some people get them earlier or later than that. Menstruation occurs in cycles. The ovaries prepare an egg for release and the womb prepares a lining to nourish the egg if it is fertilized. When the egg is not fertilized, the lining of the womb is shed and a woman gets her period. The typical length of time between the first days of the next is 21 to 45 days in young women, and 21 to 31 days in adults (an average of 28 days). Bleeding usually lasts around 2 to 7 days. Menstruation stops occurring after menopause, which usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age. Periods also stop during pregnancy and typically do not resume during the initial months of breastfeeding.
Why is it stigmatized all around the world? Menstruation is a natural process, but it is still highly stigmatized in many countries. A lack of information about menstruation leads to these misconceptions and discrimination and compels girls to miss out on their normal childhood experiences and activities. It is a topic that people are usually uncomfortable talking about and is typically a topic that is only discussed behind closed doors. This is because cultures all over the world have developed detrimental concepts and beliefs about menstruation. It’s clear the way we talk about menstruation, the concept of it is slow to change because menstrual taboos are ingrained in our cultures, beliefs, and histories deep down. Because of the taboos surrounding menstruation in many parts of the world, there is a significant lack of health education resources available to people about the menstrual cycles. It is this lack of knowledge that fuels myths that ostracize and humiliate women during their monthly cycles. Therefore, the stigma of menstruation is perpetrated by cultural taboos, discrimination, and lack of education, silence, and period poverty.
How are women treated during their menstruation? From ceremonies, parties to menstruation huts, women are treated very differently around the world. Women are considered impure and, thus restricted from entering the kitchen, temple, touching the Holy basil, pickles, etc. In many cultures, menstruating women are not allowed to bathe or wash her during the first three days of her period. Talking about our country Nepal, Chhaupadi is such malpractice that still exists in Nepal that violated women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health rights. Not only in Nepal, many women in Venezuela, are also forced to sleep in huts during menstruation. In rural Ghana, menstruating women are forbidden from entering a house with a man or cooking food. In addition, in Kenya, studies have shown that girls will miss an average of four days of school each month adding up to about 20% of the school year.
Let’s Normalize Menstruation: Women face discrimination, harassment, and are looked down upon because of menstruation, as it is seen as a form of weakness rather than a necessary biological function. Adolescent girls need the support of their governments to provide adequate infrastructures, access to affordable sanitary products, and gender equity for them to manage their periods. But to establish sustainable social change, education is key. All girls and boys must be educated about menstruation and reproductive health to empower them to talk comfortably and candidly about periods and sexual health. This can be done by educating, promoting women empowerment, providing expanded resources, and encouraging candid conversations surrounding women’s health, menstruation may one day no longer be a taboo but will be celebrated for the natural experience that it is.
