It was a regular Sunday afternoon when I dashed out of my room, looking for my mom and realising that I would have to ask my father where the extra stock of sanitary napkins were stashed. With much reluctance and awkwardness, I popped the question to which he asked me to check behind the clothes, in the cupboard. I found the small bag of Whispers behind neat divided bundles of salwars and kurtas as if it was nothing to be hidden nor displayed.
I believe that the first step to solving any problem is to acknowledge its existence. Menstrual stigma is a problem, not menstruation
According to the National Family Health Survey 2015-16, only 121 million (roughly 36%) out of the 336 million menstruating women in our country use sanitary napkins, locally or commercially produced. Many economically disadvantaged women and girls, end up using alternatives such as straw and re-using the same piece of cloth. Other than the serious health implications such as urinary tract or reproductive tract infections, this strikes an unsettling chord within me.
I remember in grade 5, one of my classmates had got her first period and unfortunately, it became a topic of discussion. Lack of awareness and common mystification as to what periods are made us act insensitively. Looking back, I realise how humiliating and uncomfortable it would’ve felt when 45 pairs of ears were clued onto why you had to leave class and change your skirt. Then in due course of time, we were explained the “how”, “why”, “do” and “don’t” -s of the process. Though that was the first time I found out about this alien concept of “ I’m on my cycles”.
Turns out this was more of a macrocosmic problem than I had imagined : a 2016 study found that almost 50,000 girls out of 100,000 had no clue about menstruation until their first period.
I come from a relatively “liberal” and progressive family where cycles is just a health phenomenon and not a “because” or an explanation but several young girls are stripped off their basic education for the same.
There is still light at the end of the tunnel – several non-profits, NGO-s and student led organisations who share the same dream to end menstrual inequality have been actively working to provide sustainable sanitary napkins and hygiene products and de-stigmatise menstruation.