Essential But Impure... Irony of Menstruation!!!

http://menstrupedia.com/blog/irony-of-menstruation-essential-but-impure/
My article for menstrupedia blog!!!

Menstruation is defined as the periodic shedding of the uterine lining (endometrium). The first menstruation marks the onset of sexual maturity, in females of certain mammal species, and ceases at menopause (commonly considered the end of a female’s reproductive phase of life).

About 50% of human race experiences menstruation yet the topic is hushed down and is choke full of myths and taboos.

Some of the myths & facts are as follows:

•  Menstruating women need to be in bed, or avoid strenuous activity. But the fact is that instead of worsening the situation, exercise can help with the symptoms. Generally, Women are not weaker during menstruation, unless they have anemia, which might result from an abnormal loss of blood during menstruation.
•  A woman shouldn’t have sex while having their periods. If both partners are willing, there is no medical reason not to indulge in sexual activity. In fact  orgasm can sometimes relieve cramps.
• A bath causes or worsens menstrual cramps. But in fact, a warm bath can soothe & relax muscles, reducing pain.
•  A very common myth is that menstrual blood smells bad.But in reality, the blood on pads & tampon develop foul smell because of the bacteria that builds up.

In many households, women are not allowed to enter the kitchen, nor allowed to have sex with her husband while menstruating. She has to sleep separately from her family and has to keep her clothes during her periods separate from other laundry. In many religions, women are not allowed to enter or attend any auspicious occasions while menstruating.

I don’t understand why people still believe in such absurdities. On one hand we are living in the 21st century and preaching gender equality while on the other, we practice many menstrual myths and are guilty of spreading the myths. Ironically, if a woman menstruates, she is deemed impure and if she doesn’t get periods, she is considered unfortunate as she wouldn’t be able to bear a child. Either way it’s degrading to a woman’s status.

Menstruation brings with it many uncomfortable physical & psychological changes like water retention, change in sex drive and nausea in girls and women. And at a time when they need to be made aware about menstruation and be provided with care and understanding, unwillingness by teachers to discuss menstruation on the pretext of limited time for covering the syllabus, vague instructions leading to misconceptions, presence of peers in group learning make the matter worse and fuel a negative perception of menstruation in not only males but even in females.

Naturally in such a case the mother needs to be the primary teacher for educating her daughter about menstruation. She should be very open to her daughter and should explain her everything about periods so that the daughter doesn’t get baffled on getting her first period. She should inculcate positivity about the process of menstruation. Some women experience emotional disturbances or mood swings during their periods. Here a husband should to be more understanding, should stand by his wife and should make her feel loved and wanted instead of alienating her while following the age old menstrual myths and taboos.

I have always honoured my menstruation instead of being ashamed of it. Even though I get mild to severe cramps leading to sometimes much inconvenience, I never hate my periods. How can a woman hate it when they know that menstruation is the testimony of their special ability to give birth to a life. The feeling of being able to bring new life to this world is amazing and it is this feeling that makes me a woman. And I owe this feeling to my menstruation.

I would like to urge all those men who find menstruation impure, that because your better halves menstruate you can look forward to your coming generation. In Hinduism, we worship Goddess Durga who is a symbol of power and still we see girls as the weaker sex. We worship Goddess Lakshmi who is a symbol of prosperity and still we forbid women from their day-to-day chores during their menstruation. We worship Goddess Saraswati for knowledge. And for those who don’t know, the literal translation of “Saraswati” is “flow-woman”. So think before you disregard women during their periods.

I feel the Menstrual Blood is the symbol of new life & a Menstruating Woman  is sacred & powerful.