Recently a poem was published on Menstrupedia blog  in which the poet has expressed what she goes through during her periods and her gratitude towards her partner for being there ‘by her side’. For some reason this didn’t go well with particularly one woman who has put down her rant as an article on Newslaundry. She seems to have taken offence to the fact that a woman is thankful for the help and assistance she is getting during her periods and may be even assuming that she is not able to deal with her periods on her own.

At Menstrupedia we have always wanted to have open discussions on menstruation. Which I am glad is happening. The writer is free to express to her opinion but her article lacks compassion for the poet expressing her personal account of pain. The article on Newslaundry is written in a very bad taste and here is my response to some of the points mentioned in the article.

Yes, someone had written a poem about getting their period and about how they were grateful that their male partner was by their side. Because getting your period is like a terminal illness – or even an illness – which requires us women to be tended to, in this our darkest and bloodiest hour.

Since when asking for help has become a sign of weakness. Is having somebody by your side only warranted when you are suffering from terminal illness? We humans care for each other out of love and affection and not just because of some kind of illness.

to state they(women) need someone to “care for you during your period” makes women sound like a hybrid of shrinking violets and terminal patients.

This poem plays into the notion that periods weaken women and that they need a man to give them strength. If you want to be treated equally, then don’t write or read or quote such poetry.

The writer seems to be having a skewed notion of woman as an identity which she feels is threatened by seeking care and affection from the opposite gender.  I can only wonder what her views are on father-daughter, mother-son, brother-sister, husband-wife and many other such relationships that involve both the genders.

Most importantly, don’t write poems about your period drama and your need for comfort from your male partner. It’s offensive and insulting to an entire gender. And if you really must express yourself creatively, then a 7-act play that takes tips from Game of Thrones would at least be more entertaining.

Till then, ride the crimson tide with pride. Not with a poem.

I am a woman and the poem is neither offensive nor insulting to me. <- Here, this is how you speak for yourself and not the entire gender. Nobody can speak for the entire gender.

Although I fail to understand how a poem on one’s personal experience can harm anyone but still my three words to the writer for such occasions when she feels irresistibly offended – “Close the tab”.

More responses on the article here.

Author: Aditi Gupta of Menstrupedia

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