FOMO: Why Are We Still Segregating Women On Their Periods In 2022
In India, periods have been taboo for a long time. Even in 2022, women who have them are thought to be dirty and have to live under a lot of rules. Because of the stigma attached, information about what a girl should and shouldn't do when she gets her period isn't passed down from generation to generation.
Menstrual taboos, which continue to exist in many cultures, have negative effects on girls and women's mental and physical health. Their limited understanding of puberty, menstruation, and reproductive health increases the challenge of dispelling myths and misconceptions about menstruation.
Thanks to the stigma surrounding menstruation, millions of young women worldwide are ill-informed about their bodies' natural cycles, feel uncomfortable discussing their periods with others, and are compelled to keep their sanitary products a secret.
This calls for a discussion-oriented methodical strategy that addresses these problems. According to research, 71% of Indian girls don't know about menstruation before their first period. Cross-sectional studies show that mothers teach most girls about menstruation. But period stigma still hinders young women as a conversation is missing. These issues are effectively addressed in family life skill sessions which need to be made a part of our lives.
Young girls suffer emotional distress and fear when they experience their first period. Things worsen when they are not allowed to ask questions and receive answers in an open and honest environment. Women who are menstruating may choose to hide this fact from friends, family, and classmates. The social stigma that persists around this topic needs to go. Menstruation is a normal part of a woman's body, but a lack of education about it can lead to stigma and false beliefs, which can have harmful effects on a woman's health.
An open discussion of menstruation in our society can only be fostered by making the subject more widely known. Stopping the use of euphemisms for menstruation is the first step in breaking taboos. Girls and women need to feel comfortable in communicating with their male relatives, whether it be their father or brother, for them to receive the appropriate level of care. Men at large need to be a part of the conversation.
The way forward is that we begin by discussing the ‘elephant in the room’ both in our social circles and in our day-to-day lives. There has to be a starting point for this discussion and we must be able to freely discuss the topic and use the word in our homes. Efforts are needed to change this mentality towards menstruating women so that it stops the taboo from spreading throughout general society without any end.
Sessions and workshops aimed at educating girls about menstruation should be organised in every school to help boost girls' confidence and dispel prevailing stigmas. In these classes, girls can learn what to expect when they get their periods for the first time. Girls who practice good menstrual hygiene are more likely to continue their education.
Due to the lack of adequate knowledge about menstruation, many girls miss five days of school each month. Both students and faculty members should be made aware of this problem as a mandatory exercise.
Conversations about periods are an excellent way to help a girl make a smooth transition into adolescence while also enhancing the educational opportunities available to us. Too many serious problems can arise if we don't talk about periods. Some young girls have been led to believe that the onset of menstruation indicates a terminal illness, while others have been told that pickles spoil if they come into contact with a menstruating woman. In 2022, we can only hope to end the segregation of menstruating women if we normalise the discussion of the issue and raise awareness.
