We are made to carry sanitary pads in a black polythene, we are told to shush whenever we even try to mention the word ‘period’ and so many of us are asked to limit ourselves (whether from activities or from the kitchen) every month when we bleed. Why? Just why? In our ‘modern’ day society, periods are still considered a taboo topic and this video by Menstrual Hygiene Day, featuring Aranya Johar, talks exactly about that. It’s important that we all make it a point to openly discuss menstruation. It’s important that we sensitize people, especially men, towards menstruation. It’s important that we help each other remove the stigma attached to menstruation.
I remember talking to my mother about how things were when she was young, and when she told me that they were basically isolated from the world for the five days they bled, I was shocked. But when I thought about it I realized that the situation now isn’t exactly how it was then, but not much has changed either, has it? Having said that, I believe that whenever the topic of making people aware about periods comes up, all of us advocating for it can come across as aggressive. But with this video, Aranya Johar is giving us a new perspective through which we should look at period sensitization. It tells us her story – one of a girl who lived in a world where people didn’t consider menstruation a taboo – belonging to a family who didn’t seclude her for being on her period, a teacher who taught girls and also, boys about sex and menstruation, a guy friend who didn’t make fun of her red stain and helped instead, and a society in which she could bleed with pride.
So girls, what are you waiting for? Hit play and watch this AMAZING video which proves that little efforts made by us can get rid of the stigma attached to periods.
