Why Are Menses Considered So "Filthy"

How many times have you encountered these Indian aunties to justify that period are filthy? And that a woman or a girl menstruating should withdraw from going to temples, shrines. And sometimes even kept out of the kitchen for sanctity concerns.

It's 2021 yet, "menstruation" remains one of the most controversial or hot topics in the world. From China to the United States, women are still being condoled, under the heading "She is PMS [Pre Menstrual Syndrome} ing Perhaps". The paradox here is that menstrual blood is the only blood that does not come from any sort of violence. And yet, it offends people the most.

In cultures around the globe, menstrual blood is believed to have some mystical powers. And on top of it, these esoteric powers are often misconceived as dangerous and destructive. In some parts of the country yet, menstrual blood is said to be able to attract evil spirits. Also, a malevolent person can harm a menstruating woman or girl by using black magic. This is one of the top-ranking stereotypical belief still prevalent.

Or something more offensive is that women enduring periods are denied entry to holy places and touching the holy books. Like, women are not entitled to pray to god, water the sun god or tulsi because watering while experiencing periods is considered impure and that many Indian families reinforce these conventional rules.

Sometimes even I am also thrown into deep thought that the goddess is also a female like all of us. And that she would also menstruate like us then, why is this biasedness still prevalent.

Even today, the ritual of celebrating a girl's first period is shockingly prevalent in some part of the country. It is not to mark the commencement of puberty but to mark that the girl has now reached her reproductive maturity and can now produce babies. Therefore this is a traditional mark that a girl is ready to get married. This is so prevalent in India, that it makes India stand as the second most child marriage country in the global graph of child marriage.

But the whole thing doesn't just terminate with this. The other rock which has to be faced is while women buy menstrual products, in India most predominant pads. Be it in supermarkets or at a chemist store, the practice of wrapping menstrual products in black polyethene is never brought to a cease. Yet, women hesitate to buy menstrual products from a male shopkeeper.

But the irony here is that a person can easily buy a packet of cigarettes that is harmful and has a warning written over it. Whereas a teenager or a woman buying menstrual products openly is viewed with the eyes of shock. As if she is buying dynamite, or she is bringing shame to society or the family. If we emphasise upon the Indian mindset then, peeing publicly on walls and buildings isn't seen as vulgar as purchasing menstrual products are examined.

Furthermore, this belief of purity is strengthened by the preachings of the Hindu dharma. According to which women are prohibited from participating in normal life while menstruating. She must be “purified” before she is permitted to return to her family and day to day chores of her life. It is also believed that a menstruating woman is unhygienic and unclean. And hence the food that would be prepared by her would-be contaminated and not be consumed by the family.

But here is the truth. The research has revealed the fact that there is no relevance or inter-connection or any evidence proving that menstrual blood is the reason for contaminated or spoiled food.

Not only India but many other countries restrict women to do anything freely during their menstruation.

Though women around are trying their best to change this century-old mindset regarding period or period talks as a taboo, we alone cannot change it. It equalises as attacking the stereotypical and conservative mentality of the people.