Do not touch pickle, Do not exercise, Do not wear white
clothes etc . These are some of the statements that Indian women have heard
every month when they experience the Menstrual cycle. Menstrual taboos shape
many religious and social practices across the globe. Certain religious
traditions consider this cycle impure and thus, the menstruating women are
banned from religious rites, food preparation etc. Many religious traditions
consider menstruation defile and ritually unclean.
We boldly say that we live in the 21st century
and have revolved with the time. But I don’t feel so that our thinking has
revolved with the time. People still consider it a shame and insensible to
discuss in public about the gender issues, social taboos and the problems and
changes that women face in day to day lives.
The menstrual cycle is one of the most important biological
differences between females and males. This cycle enables that a girl is all
set for fertilisation and to give birth to an offspring. To get a new born baby
into this world, a woman has to undergo so many changes and equally face a lot
of problems. But to discuss about these problems it is considered defile. People
should understand that this cycle is a part of women’s daily life. All over the
world girls and young women experience the menstrual cycle. It is a natural process
just as ocean flowing. But in many countries the subject is enshrouded with
shame and harsh impractilities.
Girls are still considered a burden even after so much of
public awareness programmes. ‘Female Foeticide’ is still practiced in many
areas of the world though it is illegal. They kill girls as people still
believe that girls are not capable like the boys. But my question is who are we
to decide who is capable and who is not? And because of this the numbers of
girls are decreasing.
We must leave things
for nature to decide. Chance combination of X and Y sperms with ova when left
to nature automatically results in balancing the population of two sexes. Then,
we must respect WOMAN, since only they help in bringing up of babies, and not
the man.
People, especially some women have voluntarily begun to
spread awareness about the importance about the menstrual cycle and are trying
to break the social taboo. But such women are countable. Its effect hasn’t
still spread. There are still thousands who aren’t aware about this biological
process. Its time that we youngsters raise our voice against this taboo in full
action and take up all steps to break the myths against the girls and their
problems.
