By “The reason I got a chance to see the world is because my mom bleed every month; the reason you are born is that your mom too bleeds every month.”
Whenever we see any beautiful art we praise the creator and appreciate the way it was created, right? But why do we feel shy to appreciate when it comes to talking about menstruation which is the reason for the creation of all those wonderful creators born in this world?
When a woman gives birth she is considered to have a complete life not only for herself but for the whole family. A child by a woman is like an initiator of happiness in her family. But why the factual cause of all those happiness brought up by a single child i.e. due to “menstruation” is not welcomed by that family?
We worship goddesses like Laxmi, Durga, Saraswati, etc. During “Navaratri” we show our godliness towards girls. In the Newari community, we devote ourselves towards living goddesses i.e. Kumari. The reason for deep revering towards them is because we consider them to be the originator of purity. But why a glimpse of their purity is kept under the veil during those 7 days of menstruation and a tag of “impure” is given to them? Does bleeding really make the women impure? If so then, the one sacrificing their blood for the nation is also impure. If so then, we all result in that impure blood is also impure. Therefore, if menstruating women are impure then you, I, and the whole world are impure.
I got my first menstruation when I was 13. I still remember the day which I used to suppose a black day of my life (not now). I never cried like that before. On that day despite the summer session, I got chilled and my brown complex turned white. In short, I got mental bruises as I was never prepared by anyone for that day. For me, the sanitary napkin was limited up to advertisements. The definition of pain was up to whenever I used to get punished.
For me, bleeding was bounded up to when I used to get injured. But from that day everything changed. Since that day, the sanitary pad came out of the advertisement and became part of my change. Since that day, I experienced a new pain which was much pain full than anything I had experienced.
Since that day, I bleed in a new way that created a thin line between males and female but I guess in a positive way. From that day I was more restricted in my freedom. From that day everything changed and even I wasn’t allowed to share the reason for changes with anyone.
My second menstruation knocked me when I was in school. My white skirt got painted with a red stain of blood. My friends whispered around me. The eyes of boys were gazing me with suspicious smiles. The teacher asked me with her low voice, “Haven’t you known the date?” 13 year old me, was trying to figure out what was going on and with a feeling of disquiet I asked myself, “did I forget any important date?” Then I came to realize that it was the day of a reminder of my new journey of changes.
13-year-old me was gradually moving ahead accepting all physical and biological changes but only accepting by myself was not sufficient. Still, the stereotypical concept regarding menstruation was holding me back. As Confucius has rightly mentioned that, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” So to break all those taboos regarding menstruation like touching trees may lead to its death during periods, touching pickle during such time can make that rotten, touching cow can hamper its milk giving process and so on, so I experimented to know the hidden reality behind the shown truth to us.
I touched all that prohibited things during periods with a feeling of anxiety to see the result. Luckily, I proved my developing stereotypical thoughts regarding menstruation wrong. To teach others first you need to be a student. Similarly, before I aware others, firstly I became self-aware.
Also, have you ever felt the awkward eyes gazing at you while asking sanitary napkin? Have you ever got sanitary napkin covered in a newspaper first then in a black polythene bag like you are buying some illegal stuff? Have your stomach cramps during menstruation had ever been a question to your character? Have you ever been restricted in many things like going kitchen, temples, touching the water, etc during periods???
If yes, then no worries, as it’s the time to be a change. Menstruation wasn’t a problem and it will never be a problem. Rather the root of all problems is the narrow mind conception about it.
While bringing change doing restricted things doesn’t mean you are wrong. The one who is wrong is all those narrow-minded who pretend to be educated but are not literate. But you could also be like an abettor for continuing the legacy of this taboo if you follow it too.
You can also be wrong if you didn’t speak for yourself. You can be wrong if you don’t break the chain. Therefore, menstruation is not the problem, the misconception is.
#Don’t let misconception grow from you # End the chain by being the change.
-Sijan Shah
