“I didn’t care about menstrual taboos, and now I am on a mission to end them all.”
Yes. That was my first article in which I had shared my views so boldly about this ‘sensitive’ issue called menstruation. All thanks to Menstrupedia.
No boasting, but on sharing that article on social platforms, I had received a lot of appreciation.

2-3 weeks later, in my school corridor, I met a batch mate named Aayan.
“Hey Palak! I read your article. IT WAS AWESOME. I really wish I could comment on it and share it. But you know… obviously I couldn’t! So I am saying it to you here.”
“Thank you so much,” I replied politely.

I didn’t get him. I mean, okay, thank you for your appreciation. But what was it with not liking that particular post openly?
Not that he was the first guy to say this. I’d already met 4-5 guys who chose to appreciate it under the cover, as it were.
Ohh! It was now that I understood the whole scenario.

“We men are not supposed to talk about it.”
Yeah. I had never seen any ‘man’ talking about the issues and taboos existing in our society surrounding menstruation.Best way to talk to your daughters about periods

But surely I had also seen the pandits discouraging the entry of ‘impure women’ into temples.
Surely I had seen many men’s faces turn red (ironically!) when the television showed advertisements of sanitary napkins.
I had surely seen my father giving me a discouraging look when I once told him about my dream of starting an NGO against such issues.
I had also seen in many families,men scolding women who were considered to be impure.

For what? For joining an ‘auspicious’ ceremony during those days?
Haha! Isn’t it funny? Boys grow up seeing taboos being followed. Boys grow up seeing their mothers not touching anything in the kitchen for 3 days every month. Boys grow up seeing their mothers, sisters, girlfriends not going to temples, sleeping on bare floors, not touching pickles every month.
They are expected to follow this tradition in their families too, when they probably become men!
The funnier part is this: they are NOT ALLOWED to question it or speak about it openly.

“Tu ladki hai kya jo iss topic pe baat ka raha hai?”
No! He isn’t a “Girl” if he chooses to raise his voice against some orthodox age – old myths which somewhere or the other leads to a lowering of the self-confidence of his mother, or his sister, or probably his wife.

We live in a male dominated society.How on earth can we then expect such a poison of our society to be removed without the cooperation of men?
By trying to keep them blindfolded about it all?
Is it a shame? I don’t think so.
Teach your sons to not look at a natural process with eyes of disgust.

Teach him that when he is the man of the family, he shouldn’t let any such taboo be imposed upon his daughter.
Teach him, that bleeding is no sin!
Teach him, to speak boldly for what he believes is right or wrong.

I had heard once a very hilarious reason given to my cousin by his mother for not attending a pooja.
“Beta. Mujhe Chhipkali (lizard) ne chhudiya. Isliye mai abhi pooja me nahi aa sakti.”
Really? A rapist is pure enough to enter a temple but not a woman?
Hiding it, keeping quiet about it and maintaining secrecy will not help.

Teaching the men and women of tomorrow about what’s right and what’s wrong certainly will.

palak_thumbAuthor: Palak Jain

Palak is a 16 year old, Class 12th Student in Biology who is an amateur musician, writer and orator. She has already taken up the initiative of making women and girls of nearby slum aware about basic knowledge a woman must possess about herself and her body. She aims to continue this on a larger scale. Facebook

easiet way to teach and learn about periods

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