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People still are not comfortable when talked about menstrual cycle and there are many dos and don’ts which are associated with it. The ladies during their "those days" are not supposed to enter the kitchen, visit temples. It is also believed by some section of people that if a lady touches a pickle during her "those days" it will get destroyed. Basically, women are made to believe that they are impure and hence they should be cut off from the society in those days.
But, has anyone realized what impact it does on the minds and thoughts of the ladies. Imagine a small girl who has still not even understood the meaning of menstrual cycle and trying to adjust with the changes in her body, when told to follow these dos and don’ts, how does it impact her little mind. She constantly thinks whether she has done anything wrong, whether it is kind of punishment or is god angry on her or if she is going to die.
I too am a girl and I know what kind of thoughts come in when she gets her first period. Luckily my mom had already told me about it and I was prepared for it to some extent. But when it actually happened, the first thing that came to my mind was that I am going to die. My family is not a conservative one, so thankfully I have never been told to follow these dos and don’ts. But one thing I believed that it is not a good thing, and I am not supposed to speak about it in public.
I had a few friends from conservative families, and we girls use to discuss about the menstrual cycle secretly. There was a girl who use to say that she has become impure and hence she is not allowed to sleep on the bed and not enter the kitchen. And her mom doesn't let her play also during her periods. Her talks use to impact our minds also. So even though few of us, whose families did not follow these conservative traditions, were impacted with the thoughts of the society.
As I grew and understood the biological reason behind it, I still use to think why people consider it as a bad thing. Now, what I experienced in my childhood was some 20 years back. But still today when I see people following all this and consider menstrual cycle as a taboo, it shocks me.
Last few months, lot of campaigns on "Yes I bleed" are running around. It is very necessary to make people understand that bleeding is not a taboo. It is part of a woman's body function and is the reason why she can conceive. If her body doesn't generate new eggs every month, how is she going to be fertile?
I hope that at least the new generation takes a revolt on all these practices and beliefs and in the coming year India is free from this insane taboo around menstrual cycle. Please don't let your baseless practices impact the young minds of the little girls. Let us all say that 'Yes we bleed and we are not ashamed about it..!!
