So now we would like to do a little exercise. Some of you here may have already had their periods. So it would be great if some of you can volunteer to share their stories of the first period. Boys can also share some of the encounters they have had with periods.
While all of you here received an elaborate and friendly presentation of menstruation, there are millions of menstruators in this country who don’t. They are often clueless when they get it for the first time and go on to practise many traditional beliefs which often leaves them feeling disgusted or so called “impure” during their periods. Apart from that, almost all menstruators don’t feel okay talking about it. Somehow the believe it is something that should be kept quiet or spoken in hushed voices and only to menstruators alike. Bleeding isn’t pathetic, neither is it supposed to be a secret. It is a part of life for some people. Can you imagine bleeding for 3,500 days in your life and having to feel disgusted about that?
Periods are something everyone should be able to talk about. Menstruators and non-menstruators both. When one needs a pad in school, they must be able to ask whoever they want, from menstruators like them or people who don’t menstruate. Remember - periods is not menstruators' little secret. Don’t hide it ever. Talk about it to your dad as much as you can with your mom. Tell them if you want chocolate because you are PMSing not because “ you felt like it”
Another note, in future a lot of menstruators will be condemned whilst they are menstruating. People will assume their mental health and attitude is due to periods or even that they are not as strong just because they bleed. Periods are not supposed to be a shortcoming and never will they normally prevent you from doing what you want to. Therefore it is wrong to allege anyone of these conceptions.
Start from yourselves. Start talking about periods freely. Stop being misguided by prejudices. Stop feeling ashamed of menstruating. Stop making menstruators feeling ashamed. Normalize periods. Stop the stigma.
-Ananya Mitra
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