Let’s Talk About Periods
From ‘Tabiyat kharab he” to ‘that time of the month’, how many ways can we avoid saying the word ‘periods’ and till when?
In Pakistani culture, periods are a taboo topic, without a doubt, almost every other girl has pretended to fast during Ramadan on days when she is not, pretending in front of the father and brother like everything is normal. Most girls don’t even know what periods are till the girl finally have hers and freak out. We have grown up hiding the pads packet in a brown bag. Our society has been rejecting the notion as if it doesn’t even exist.
Whether it’s menstruation or menopause, talking about periods is still not a very common practice. It’s crazy that we are still talking about the stigma attached to periods when it’s something that affects every woman. What we fail to understand as a society is that feminine hygiene is not only about personal health but also about how one needs to be comfortable so that today’s modern women don’t have to worry about small discomforts and can go about living their life to the fullest.
This realization, even though it was for commercial purposes has brought the topic into somewhat limelight. We have been seeing ads of sanitary napkins on TV, in fact, recently we have witnessed some influencer campaigns on digital mediums that were much more personal and effective.
If we continue to encourage an attitude of embarrassment and discretion from the outset then that will obviously infuse into general society by large effective every girl.
We have to talk about periods in our social circles and in everyday life. We have to be able to say the word and talk about it freely in our homes, and most importantly mothers need to play a role in not only educating the younger girls about what to expect but also normalize it in the household by talking to the husbands and educating their sons.
We at Boss Women Pakistan takes women health issues very seriously, we are committed to making progressive debates happen which can bring positive outcome and create an inclusive society for all the boss women out there. Be a part of our moment by connecting with us to share your stories, thoughts, and ideas.
