No More Whispers.

By: Kyra Variyava

For over two centuries, India was turned into a breeding ground for imperialist countries to establish their superiority in terms of social and political power which stripped the country and its countrymen off of the feeling of belonging. And it was only 73 years ago that India finally prevailed in her long standing battle against these colonial forces, when she was finally able to reclaim her land, culture, rule, home and identity. The day India got her freedom became a moment in time and history that marked its importance in the hearts of every Indian and will continue to do so in the generations to come. But while India may have gained her freedom, the girls and women of India would beg to differ. Their country may have emerged victorious from the struggle against colonisation but the women in India still go to war every single day be it against ideologies, mindsets or even for their fundamental rights as humans. Just like the Battle of Troy, there is nothing subtle about the struggles our women face- it happens right in front of us- we see it in the news, on tv screens, on the roads or in our very homes. Yet we treat it just the way the Trojans treated the Trojan horse- we don’t see it as an eminent threat and carry on with our lives as if nothing is going to happen. Except in this case, we know how serious the problem is yet the act of complacency over the issue is more sought out than the act of change. 

However, on the 15th of August this year in an interesting turn of events, the government of India attempted to tackle one of these issues- one that is rarely spoken about due to the stigma, shame and fear that is attached to it- the issue of menstruation. This heavy taboo isn’t just limited to the quick 5 minute awkward lesson in biology class but becomes a practice in which menstruating women are actively discriminated against in religious proceedings, entering certain temples or even into their own kitchens (once again the paradoxical nature of Indian society shines through- we are willing to shame women for being on their periods but are not willing to accept that it is the very same process that allows these women to bring ‘prestigious’ sons into this world) And so in fear of being discriminated or shunned away in society, most women refuse to even start a conversation about it, especially to their younger daughters or sisters as a result of which nearly 71% of adolescent girls in India are not even aware of the process of menstruation until they experience it. Thus, due to the lack of conversation, there is a lack of understanding, especially in male dominated families where most women do not have financial control. Consequently, most women do not even have access to sanitary napkins and according to a BBC article only 36% of menstruating women in a population of 355 million women have access to basic pads. Most women make do with rags or pieces of cloth which are not only unsanitary, but also lead to many urinary tract infections. In response to the alarming concern for the need of these basic amenities, during the Independence day speech, Prime Minister Modi declared that under the Jan Aushadhi scheme (an initiative that aims to provide basic medicines and fundamental necessities at an affordable price to financially struggling classes) pads will be priced at just 1 rupee. This initiative has helped over 50 million women during the pandemic and will continue to reach out to those in assistance. Although in the grand scheme of things, this may be a small step towards mitigating the taboo, it is commendable that despite the stigma surrounding menstruation, the Indian government sparked the conversation on such a public platform as the Independence day speech. 

Although the main issue with menstruation is ‘period poverty’ which is a term used for the problem of many women being financially restrained from gaining access to menstrual products, the root cause of the problem goes back to the lack of conversation. Although the problem is more rampant in rural areas, the stigma pervades through each and every section of society. This includes girls, like me, who although are privileged enough to attend the finest schools, cannot escape the stigma. Many of us still dread wearing our white uniforms in fear of the embarrassment of staining and still carry around fancy bags while going to the bathroom to cover up the fact that we’re holding a pad. Ironically, our country’s leading feminine hygiene brand is named “Whisper”; a fact that exemplifies the prevalence of regressive mindsets in Indian society and the taboo associated with menstruation even today.

In fact, every time you buy a packet of pads or tampons in a shop or pharmacy, they will still wrap it up in newspaper and put it in a bag. It is these practices and beliefs that should make us really question, how free are women since 1947? Has there really been a liberating change? Because as a country, there is A LOT more we should be ashamed of than women on their periods. Why aren’t we ashamed of the men who belittle women? Why aren’t we ashamed of sexist politicians who believe that women should be subservient to men? Just like it’s ‘that time of the month’ it is also high time we dropped the archaic misconception and stigma surrounding menstruation. It’s time we have that conversation, as awkward as it may be, not only to our daughters but even to our sons to normalize this process. A conversation is all it takes to stop encouraging an attitude of discretion and shame and once and for all end this disempowering cycle. Period. 

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