The repercussions of not adhering to healthy menstrual hygiene

-Ria Nisar

Periods. A phenomenon unique to girls is a monthly occurrence for them. The dictionary definition  of menstruation is ‘’the process in a woman of discharging blood and other material from the lining of the uterus at intervals of about one lunar month from puberty until the menopause, except during pregnancy.’’ Common taboos will make you think that the blood expelled during menstruation is impure, dirty or bad blood. Thus, invoking the word 'periods' in a crowded place might lead to one getting shameful and reproachful looks as there is a negative connotation surrounding the word.  But, in reality, it’s just like any other bodily fluid. Blood that is born without violence, blood linked to the creation of life.

The stigmatization of periods can be traced ages back. The origin of this myth dates back to is often linked to Indra's slaying of Vritras. For, it has been declared in the Veda that guilt, of killing a brahmana-murder (Vritras), appears every month as menstrual flow as women had taken upon themselves a part of Indra's guilt. A deep-rooted self-loathing that propagates the idea of a woman's body being repulsive during the most natural state of her life has been systematically ingrained in people across all cultures.

India’s uncomfortable relationship with periods

When girls enter the adolescence period, around 10 to 14 years of age, that’s when periods start. But, a survey shows that 71% of young girls were unaware of periods until they got it. This is because a healthy conversation around this topic is absent from many Indian households. Fathers tend to change the channel when an advertisement promoting a sanitary napkin is displayed on television and the mother purchases pads all covered in a newspaper as if she is hiding something gross. In many communities, girls experiencing their menses are barred from attending temples and religious events. At their home, they are made to stay away from their family members, not allowed to enter the kitchen or sleep on the beds. It is also believed that menstrual fluids may be misused for black magic, so women should wash the wrapper/cloth worn during menses only at night when others are asleep. In many areas, menstruating girls are also not allowed to bathe and wash hair, as it is believed to impede blood flow.

All these taboos have no scientific backing. Rampant illiteracy, limited knowledge and cultural expectations have entombed practical thinking and emboldened those who spread toxicity related to periods. This makes it onerous for girls to have a safe conversation surrounding healthy menstrual hygiene and they resort to unsanitary ways to get through the arduous periods. The difficulty of securing a sanitary napkin is also a real issue as period poverty is widespread. In rural India, sometimes the cost of a pack of 30 sanitary pads is equivalent to the cost of a square meal for a small family. Thus, girls use washcloths, newspaper cuttings, ash, soil, leaves, and hay when they get their periods. Only 36% of India's 355 million menstruating females use sanitary napkins and on average menstruating girls in India miss six days of class each month due to the shame surrounding their periods or a lack of sanitary products.

Why we must battle period shaming and preserve the sacred stain

Common outcomes of unhealthy menstruation management can be dermatitis, urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can be fatal if the kidney is damaged, genital tract infection, alteration in the pH balance of vaginal secretions, bacterial vaginitis, all leading to increased susceptibility to cervical cancer. These infections also tend to impact women the most when they’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant. 

Unhealthy practices can also hurt a girl’s mental and physical health. They don’t only extend to hygiene but also the mindset. 68 young women belonging to the Shree Sahajanand Girls Institute (SSGI) were pulled out of classrooms and taken to the toilet, where they were asked to individually remove their knickers for inspection as some hostel officials suspected they were breaking rules related to menstruation. Deemed as a traumatizing experience by these girls, this incident can also lead to girls not raising their voices and being subdued by malicious creatures. When women are locked inside their rooms during their menses, it gives power to the men sitting outside to frame new ways of domination. This is detrimental to the very fabric of society.

How to normalize menstruation

Men should be equipped with the resources to support and influence women in managing menstruation at school, college, and work through their many roles as husband, father and brother, leaders and policymakers. At the rural level, the decision of construction of toilets resides with the men. So it is a big barrier in menstrual hygiene as women find it difficult to clean and change menstrual materials in privacy. This needs to change. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced a scheme for the promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years in rural areas. This scheme though is a step in the right direction, lacks proper execution. India scrapped a 12% tax on sanitary products in 2018, after months of campaigning by activists. Before that the notion of periods being a luxury and not a necessity existed. When girls in school are shown a short film on their periods, a film depicting how men should behave towards menstruating girls should be shown to the schoolboys.

A German start-up by two men called Pinky Gloves invented a product meant to solve what they considered a pressing issue - how to discreetly and hygienically dispose of tampons and sanitary pads. Their solution was pink gloves which doubled as plastic bags. The whole idea is surrounded by labelling period blood as ‘dirty’ and how women are ‘ashamed’ of their blood. No, women don’t need to spend 0.25 euros per glove and create more useless plastic waste. They need a more efficient system of waste disposal. As sanitation systems were designed with urine and faeces in mind, they are unable to cope with the menstrual absorption materials. These absorption materials clog the sewer pipelines as they are unable to pass through and cause the system backflow.

Public toilets in India also lack dustbins to dispose of pads or water to wash hands. Gender discrimination prevalent also means a lesser number of facilities present for women than for men. The impetus to sustainable practices for proper menstrual management like usage of latrine chutes or usage of biodegradable pads made from bamboo fibre, banana leaves and water hyacinth should be given. Pads at subsidized rates or completely free of cost should be given to women in rural areas. In recent times, the importance of sanitary napkins over cigarettes is shown before the start of a film. Similarly, short clips surrounding the importance of good menstrual hygiene can be shown to women by Accredited Social Health Activists when they are going around the community.

Misinformation related to periods should also be curbed. A recent advertisement promoted a pad infused with herbal oils to get rid of the stench.  It merely internalizes that shame and internalizes that idea that something is unhygienic about your period. A lot of women were scared to take the covid vaccine whilst being on their periods after reading some information on the web. It was completely false and the authorities should shut down accounts accountable for spreading false narratives. Organisations like Swiggy and Zomato have recently introduced ‘period leaves’ for their female employees. Many companies should follow suit to relieve their employees of the physical and emotional distress they go through when they are on their periods.

Pad ‘Organisations’ working to bring menstrual hygiene to women

The Auroville-based organization, Eco Femme, provides education to girls and women about menstruation and how to have a dignified menstrual experience. Aakar Innovations gives biodegradable and affordable sanitary pads to rural women who do not have access to it. 

Navya Nanda also inaugurated ‘period positive homes’ in a small village called Gadchiroli in collaboration with Mukul Madhav Foundation. The project is aimed to fight against the age-old custom of banishment of women to huts during menstruation. The women in the village didn’t have water to care for their sanitation needs and these huts are equipped with state of the art toilets and necessities to aid women during their cycle.

To completely eradicate the idea of ostracisation of women during periods, is a long uphill battle but women should take steps to maintain hygiene during their periods in their capacity. Pads or tampons must be changed regularly and separate underwear during periods is advisable. Not using scented products and tacking periods is a practice to be imbibed by all women. Any irregularity or discomfort faced during this time should be reported to a doctor.

Periods are not shameful, they are powerful. 

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