Periods – Let’s Make It The New Normal!

We are still depicting period blood as blue, wrapping sanitary napkins and tampons in newspapers at medical stores, the sheer reluctance to even use the word period.

I recently came across a series of ads by Rio pads and was mighty impressed.

Many of you might find this ad disturbing and gruesome, but this is the first ad I’ve seen in so many years that actually depicts menstrual blood as red and not like some cringe worthy blue liquid that looks like harpic or blue lagoon mojito. I have never really understood the reluctance to represent period blood as red(the colour that it actually is) despite it being a natural process that every woman experiences every month since as long as the dawn of time.

Lack of acceptance about PERIODS

Most girls get their first period between the age of 10 to 15 years and their period ends between the age of 45 to 55 years. A menstrual cycle lasts anything between 3 to 7 days every month for almost 35 to 40 years of our life, sometimes more and in spite of this the general attitude towards menstruation is anything but normal. We are still depicting period blood as blue, wrapping sanitary napkins and tampons in newspapers at medical stores, the sheer reluctance to even use the word period. People – please just say the word “Periods” instead of using chums, that time of the month, shark week, monthly problem etc. I don’t even want to get into statistics about the percentage of women in India who lack access to hygienic means to manage their periods, the lack of knowledge and related social taboos because the figures are pretty disturbing.

Who created these imprudent superstitions anyway?

I remember my maid asking me once not to touch the pickle jar during my period cycle. She feared it would get spoilt and we would have to throw it away. I still remember the horror on her face when I touched it and her confidence that it will soon get spoilt, But guess what, the pickle was just fine. If I did have the special power for 4 days every month to spoil pickles, I sure would have had lots of fun, maybe going to shops and touching pickle bottles or maybe to some pickle factory to just spoil the pickle with my magical or cursed touch whatever you want to call it, but alas that’s not happening.

I have friends who belong to good educated families whose in-laws still tell them not to enter the kitchen during their menses. An advice to them please Do Not enter the kitchen.. yes you read it right! If you get your periods for 3 days please tell them you get it for 7 days. Relax, chill, watch Netflix. On second thoughts, you could even go on a week long holiday every month. That’s 12 holidays in a year..now doesn’t that sound fun.

It’s high time we normalised periods

Jokes apart because let’s be real, periods are not something to be made fun of. Some women suffer from crazy mood swings , bloating , immense pain and still carry on with their day to day activities like a boss. The least we could all do is normalise periods, talk about it. Women – If you get your periods and feel you can’t carry on with your day to day activities please tell your family that you need rest . It’s okay not to be a superwoman at all times. A big shout out to men who understand and give women their much needed rest, we love you and to those who don’t please just buy a ticket and send your wife out of town maybe for a holiday. You could keep booking tickets for the next few year’s till you possibly run out of money while your women run out of patience to be with you..

Let’s normalise periods.. period.

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Image source – Kakolina Grabowska on pexels 

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