Breaking Menstrual Taboos
Menstruation: A taboo that affects millions of girls and women in India
Menstruation is a natural biological process that every girl and woman goes through every month for about half of her life. Yet, in India, it remains a taboo subject that is considered shameful and gross to talk about openly. This lack of awareness and misconceptions about menstruation has a significant impact on the lives of millions of girls and women in India.
Research in various parts of India shows that three out of every ten girls are not aware of menstruation at the time of their first period. In some parts of Rajasthan, this number is as high as nine out of ten girls. The lack of awareness and misconceptions about menstruation leads to fear and confusion. Many girls who did not know about periods at the time of their first menstruation thought that they had blood cancer and were going to die soon.
The lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene is also a significant risk factor for reproductive tract infections. However, in India, only 12 percent of girls and women have access to hygienic ways of managing their periods. The remaining 88 percent use unhygienic ways of managing their periods, which can lead to infections and other health problems.
The social restrictions imposed on menstruating girls and women in India further compound the problem. During menstruation, girls and women are considered impure and are not allowed to touch or eat certain foods, sit on the sofa or other family member’s bed, and are forbidden from worshipping or touching any object of religious importance. Moreover, there are signposts outside temples denying the entry of menstruating girls and women. About 85 percent of girls and women in India follow one or more restrictive customs on their periods every month.
The psychological trauma inflicted by these social restrictions affects a young girl’s self-esteem and self-confidence, academic performance, and every single aspect of growing up during her early formative years. Breaking the taboo around menstruation is crucial to ensure that every girl and woman in India can manage her periods with dignity, safety, and confidence.
The lack of awareness about menstruation in India
The lack of awareness about menstruation is a significant challenge in India. Many girls and women are not aware of menstruation until they experience it for the first time, leading to confusion, fear, and shame. Research shows that three out of every ten girls in India are not aware of menstruation at the time of their first period.
The lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene is also a significant issue in India. Only 12 percent of girls and women in India have access to hygienic ways of managing their periods. The remaining 88 percent use unhygienic ways of managing their periods, such as using old rags or cloth, which can lead to infections and other health problems.
The lack of awareness about menstruation is not limited to rural areas. It is as much an urban phenomenon as well, and it exists with the educated urban class too. While many parents and teachers want to educate girls about periods before they start menstruating, they lack the proper means to do so. Due to the taboo surrounding menstruation, they feel inhibited and shameful in talking about it.
The educational curriculum in India also plays a role in the lack of awareness about menstruation. While girls nowadays get their periods in classes six and seven, the educational curriculum teaches girls about periods only in standard eight and nine. Since menstruation is a taboo subject, many teachers skip the topic altogether. As a result, girls often rely on inaccurate information from their peers or the internet, which can lead to further misconceptions and fear.
The lack of awareness about menstruation is a significant issue in India, and it affects millions of girls and women. Addressing this issue requires breaking the taboo around menstruation and educating girls and women about menstrual hygiene in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
The impact of social restrictions on menstruating girls and women
Social restrictions are a significant issue for menstruating girls and women in India. Many girls and women are subjected to various restrictions and taboos during their menstrual cycle, which can have a severe impact on their physical and mental health, self-esteem, and social status.
During their menstrual cycle, girls and women are often considered impure and are forbidden from touching or worshipping any object of religious importance. They are not allowed to sit on the sofa or other family member’s bed, and they must wash their bed sheet after every period, even if it is not stained. In some households, girls and women are even secluded from other family members and must eat and wash their dishes separately.
About 85 percent of girls and women in India follow one or more restrictive customs during their periods every month. These restrictions can affect their personality, academic performance, and every single aspect of growing up during their early formative years.
These social restrictions are often imposed by older women in the family who have grown up accepting such restrictions as norms. In the absence of any intervention, it is the myth and misconception that propagate from generation to generation.
The psychological trauma that these restrictions inflict on young girls can be severe, affecting their self-esteem and self-confidence. It can also lead to girls missing school, which can have long-term effects on their education and future prospects.
Addressing the issue of social restrictions requires breaking the taboo around menstruation and educating people about menstrual hygiene and the harmful impact of such restrictions. It is essential to create a safe and supportive environment for menstruating girls and women and to promote their physical and emotional well-being.
Educating girls and breaking the taboo: the story of Menstrupedia
Menstrupedia is a comic book that aims to educate girls about menstruation and promote menstrual hygiene in a fun and engaging way. The book uses cartoon characters to enact stories and teach girls about menstrual hygiene management. The characters represent girls in their different phases of puberty, and through them, girls can learn about the various aspects of growing up and managing menstruation.
The book was created by Aditi Gupta and her partner, Tuhin Paul, after they realized how little they knew about menstruation themselves, despite being well-educated. They wanted to create something that would help girls understand menstruation on their own and help parents and teachers talk about periods comfortably to young girls.
During Aditi’s research, she found that many parents and teachers wanted to educate girls about periods before they started getting their menstrual cycle, but they lacked the proper means themselves. With Menstrupedia, Aditi and Tuhin created a tool that parents and teachers could use to educate young girls about menstruation in a culturally sensitive way.
Since its launch, Menstrupedia has been widely adopted in India and beyond. More than 4,000 girls have been educated using the book in India, and it has been translated into different languages to make it accessible in other countries. Fifteen schools in different parts of India have made the book a part of their school curriculum to teach girls about menstruation.
The success of Menstrupedia demonstrates the power of education and breaking the taboo around menstruation. By providing girls with accurate information and promoting menstrual hygiene, we can enable them to take control of their bodies and lives.
Creating a comic book to teach girls about menstruation
Menstrupedia is a unique approach to educating girls about menstruation. Rather than relying on traditional textbooks or lectures, Aditi Gupta and Tuhin Paul created a comic book to engage young girls and teach them about menstrual hygiene in a fun and engaging way.
The comic book includes stories and illustrations that help girls understand the changes happening in their bodies during puberty and the importance of good menstrual hygiene practices. The book also provides information on the various sanitary products available and how to use them safely and hygienically.
The creators of Menstrupedia were careful to ensure that the book was culturally sensitive and free of any objectionable material. During the prototyping stage, they found that girls loved the book and were eager to learn more about menstruation on their own. Parents and teachers were also comfortable using the book to teach young girls about periods, and even boys showed interest in reading it.
By using a comic book as a tool for education, Menstrupedia breaks down the barriers and taboos surrounding menstruation in India. The book has helped to create an environment where menstruation is no longer considered a curse or disease, but rather a natural process that every girl experiences.
The success of Menstrupedia shows that innovative approaches to education can make a significant impact in breaking taboos and promoting healthy behaviors. By creating accessible, culturally sensitive, and engaging resources like Menstrupedia, we can help girls and women overcome the challenges and restrictions that menstruation can bring and live healthy, fulfilling lives.
Menstrupedia Comic: educating girls in India and beyond
Since its launch in 2014, Menstrupedia Comic has reached over 10 different countries, and more than 4,000 girls have been educated about menstrual hygiene. The comic book has been translated into multiple languages and is being used as a part of school curriculums to teach girls about menstruation.
The success of Menstrupedia Comic can be attributed to its ability to break down taboos surrounding menstruation, engage young girls in learning, and promote healthy behaviors. The book’s relatable characters and stories help girls understand the changes happening in their bodies and the importance of maintaining good menstrual hygiene practices.
Menstrupedia’s efforts are helping to create a world where menstruation is no longer considered a taboo topic. By educating girls about menstruation and breaking down barriers and restrictions, Menstrupedia is enabling girls to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
It is essential to continue these efforts and expand them to reach more girls worldwide. By creating culturally sensitive and engaging resources, we can make significant progress in breaking down taboos surrounding menstruation and promoting healthy behaviors for girls and women worldwide.
Breaking the menstrual taboo: the role of parents, teachers, and communities
To break the menstrual taboo, it is crucial for parents, teachers, and communities to play an active role in educating young girls. However, due to cultural taboos, many parents and teachers shy away from discussing menstruation, leaving young girls to feel ashamed and uninformed.
Research shows that menstrual awareness programs can have a positive impact on young girls’ self-esteem, academic performance, and overall well-being. Therefore, it is crucial for parents and teachers to provide accurate information to girls at an early age and to create an open and safe environment for girls to discuss menstruation freely.
Communities can also play a significant role in breaking the menstrual taboo. By organizing awareness programs, seminars, and workshops, communities can educate girls and their families about menstruation and promote healthy behaviors. In addition, community-led initiatives can help break down social restrictions that prevent girls from participating fully in daily activities, including going to school or religious practices, during their menstrual cycle.
It is time to break the menstrual taboo and create a world where menstruation is no longer considered a shameful or secretive topic. By providing education and support to young girls and their families, we can enable them to hug their bodies’ natural processes and live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
A period-positive future: ending the shame and stigma surrounding menstruation
The speaker believes that the shame and stigma surrounding menstruation can be eliminated if parents and teachers talk about it comfortably and if menstruation is portrayed positively. She dreams of a future where menstruation is not a curse or a disease, but a welcoming change in a girl’s life. She urges parents to be “period-positive” and not be ashamed of discussing menstruation with their daughters.
The Menstrupedia comic book has already made a significant impact by educating thousands of girls about menstruation in India and beyond. By breaking the taboo surrounding menstruation, girls can gain the confidence and self-esteem necessary to succeed in life. The speaker hopes that the comic book will continue to inspire volunteers, individuals, parents, teachers, and school principals to educate young girls and help in breaking the taboo.
Conclusion
The story of Menstrupedia highlights the challenges that millions of girls and women in India face due to the stigma surrounding menstruation. The lack of awareness and education about periods, combined with social restrictions and taboos, can have a profound impact on the lives of young girls, affecting their self-esteem, academic performance, and personal growth.
However, Menstrupedia’s efforts to educate girls about menstruation through a comic book have shown that change is possible. By using culturally sensitive illustrations and relatable characters, Menstrupedia has been able to break down barriers and create an environment where menstruation is no longer a taboo topic.
The success of Menstrupedia is a testament to the power of education and community involvement. Parents, teachers, and volunteers have played a crucial role in promoting menstrual awareness and breaking the silence around periods. By working together and hugging a period-positive attitude, we can ensure that every girl has access to the knowledge and resources she needs to manage her menstrual cycle with dignity and confidence.
We have a responsibility to challenge the stigma surrounding menstruation and create a future where every girl and woman is free to hug her period as a natural and normal part of life. Let us continue to support initiatives like Menstrupedia and work towards a world where periods are not a source of shame or taboo, but rather a cause for celebration and giving power.
