To start with, periods are still a taboo topic for many women across the globe and they need the education to understand how it must be treated normally. But a part of this is because they often find themselves in patriarchal settings. These backdrops make women feel insecure about that one thing that is as normal as breathing for every woman. Menstruation is the reason why we are even able to live in civilisations. Funny how it is treated as a hush-hush subject. The root cause of this kind of passive attitude towards periods is because men for years have been ridiculing the idea of periods. The problem lies in the very conditioning of both men and women in their formative years.
Men find the suspicion around periods as a matter of ridicule as they have been conditioned to think of it much like a taboo just like how many women in pockets worldwide think about them. If only every gender and societal norms are in compliance with the inclusion of periods as a normal biological event, would there be lesser insecurities surrounding periods? In third world countries especially, when girls hit puberty, they are not even given the basic education about the changes that they will be encountering in their bodies. As a result of which, girls are unprepared when they have their periods for the first time.
In the same breath, boys find it rather amusing when they spot a stain on their female colleague’s clothes. Because boys are not taught to empathise and deal with such a situation with sensitivity, often girls become a subject to mockery. Grass root education for men is the need in such circumstances. Boys from their early ages must be taught about their as well as the bodies of other genders. Periods need to be normalised and that can only happen when the basic concepts of biology are made clear without any embarrassment.
You must have lived those years where you constantly kept checking the back of your skirt or trouser in school, college or work because you did not want to be a topic of gossip, especially among men. Hardly do we come across men who step forward and help a girl out in a situation where they might find themselves leaking their attire. A man should have the reflex to extend support by lending their jacket for example so that they can cover the spotting. Helping them with physical activities like household chores and also ensure that women have adequate nutrients while they are on those days.
Orgabliss through their range of products attempts to empower women so that they don’t have to encounter such unpleasant moments in life ever again. The change is required but it is still a long way ahead before we can see the change actually happening. A study has revealed that nearly 72% of the men in the world have no clue about menstrual cycles before they are 25. Most importantly education regarding periods is absolutely necessary to keep away unwanted pregnancies and safe sex practices.
Imagine how the world would be if everyone was educated about periods, would it not be an easier world for women to live in? No, by being considerate of the fact that women have periods no one is asking to be sympathetic towards women or give them a biased advantage. When men are educated about periods, women can live in a much accepting world. Gradual changes can be seen especially in the corporate sector where certain IT companies have introduced the concept of period leaves.
A lot of girls especially in rural sectors of South Asian and Mediterranean countries, think of dropping out of schools because shame is ingrained in them as a result of “harmless” fun poked at them by boys. When the world treats periods like any other natural phenomenon, women would be more willing to go to schools and work. The ultimate aim is to empower women and give them the confidence so that they can carry on with their lives as they would normally. The aim is to not have to use the word “normally” at all, so much so should it be inculcated as normalcy in people’s lives.
Another boon of having concrete education surrounding periods is that a lot of female mortality rates across the globe can be curbed as sanitation standards can be improved. Instead of using dirty clothes during periods which are extremely hazardous for menstrual health, women can adopt organic sanitation products like those from Orgabliss which not only will ensure hygiene but also improve menstrual health. The level of understanding and acceptance of new and reformed means of dealing with menstruation will be more welcomed and accepted. The education campaigns can start with clusters of first with young girls and then boys. These groups would then in turn teach their elders and that is the strategy that can be adopted. Various agencies internationally have dedicated projects to popularise such schemes.
It is evident that we need some basic education around periods, the world would be a better place. The change has to begin with the boys. There must be a time when such demarcation of genders should not be a topic of discussion. Until then, small steps are what we need. A little fact correction and first-hand information are required in our society to remove periods from being classified as taboo. The better informed we are, the better society we can give the girls. Men need to be inculcated with the values of treating women as equals but also remember that their biology is different from theirs. Most importantly, make them understand how important it is for a woman to have a healthy period. The change can happen when men step forward to make these days a little easier for girls and women from what it already is. On that note, wishing for a world where men take responsibility and due diligence for women to have a happy period.