Why a conversation about menstruation is important
In a span of seven years, Bhumi Pednekar has achieved a position that many Bollywood actresses aspire to. He has not only broken stereotypes on screen with films like Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Lust Stories and Saand Ki Aankh, but has also removed bigotry in the industry and society. She has been a champion of women’s rights and girl child education and uses her social media platforms to spread awareness about body positivity, menstruation and climate change. Apart from these, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, intends to implement a one-year social campaign, for which it has roped in a Bollywood actress.
Ahead of International Women’s Day, India TV contacted Bhumi Pednekar to talk about reshaping the entertainment industry, her film choices that help change perceptions about the “ideal woman” and brand endorsements. Comes to:
[6:21 PM, 3/7/2022] Vaishali India Tv: For centuries the word ‘impurity’ has been linked to menstruation. In rural areas, a woman is still considered an untouchable when she is in her ‘periods’. While many menstrual hygiene awareness programs and government schemes can be credited with normalizing menstruation, menstrual hygiene is still a taboo. Over the years, the talk of normalizing menstrual hygiene has opened doors for many women at different stages of life, but male counterparts are still hesitant to talk, even if it means their own. be.
Where a girl feels okay to talk about her menstrual cycle and difficulties during this period in front of her partner/boyfriend, she rarely opens up about it in front of her father or brothers. Judgment or rather, the idea of shame takes over. If not at home, then in the professional sphere, women are forced to believe that taking care of themselves during menstruation is not normal as it is. Women must bear pain as ‘God’s will’. Many women I know have left the office or taken a day off because of terrible menstrual cramps and characterized it as a headache or said “I don’t feel well” just to not judge. For.
However, things have taken a turn in the past few years when companies have come forward to accept that it is okay for a woman to take a break because of menstrual cramps. In 2020, food-delivery service Zomato announced 10 days of ‘period leave’ for women and transgender employees. This sparked a debate when people were divided as to whether this was the way forward.
Soon after, several more companies followed. Krutika Jain, COO, Address Navigation Pvt Ltd. Ltd. said, “In a changing world where all women are struggling to balance their personal and professional lives, we are making some efforts to make this journey easier. As a part of this initiative, we Will start providing period leave to all our women. From the new financial year we will give a leave to all women when they need it. Also, safety is a primary concern for all families to allow their girls to work. Theirs To reduce security stress, we provide drop services to female employees working after 8:30 PM. Women who want to start their career after a sabbatical, we help them to restart their career Our management is planning to create nursery/creche option for women who are apprehensive about working post pregnancy so that they don’t have to worry about leaving them at home.”
Over the years, menstruation has not only become a topic of discussion, but the menstrual hygiene industry has changed manifold. There was a time when sanitary pads were advertised on TV and now new products like menstrual cups and tampons are becoming popular in India. Talking about the same, Anika Parashar, Founder and CEO, The Woman Company, commented, “The pandemic has impacted the global mindset, making it more health-focused and more inclined towards holistic wellness and preventive care of women. Sanitation is the first step towards self-care – and often overlooked – despite being a very important aspect that must be actively and responsibly handled by all women. Also, it goes without saying that we should be more careful about what we are feeding our body and how we are treating ourselves.”
Meanwhile, mainstream cinema has also been instrumental in breaking down barriers around menstrual hygiene and starting the conversation. For example, if it were not for Akshay KumarIn the film ‘Pad Man’, people may not have noticed the poor condition of menstrual hygiene in rural areas. The film itself was exemplary. Another film, ‘Period. ‘End of Sentence’ caught the attention of international stalwarts about Indian women fighting the stigma around menstruation and the beginning of manufacturing sanitary pads. The film also won an Oscar.
Actors away from films have also taken the responsibility of talking about this ‘taboo’ topic and bringing a change in attitude these days. Akshay Kumar’s advertisement of buying pads for women before every film in theatres is enough.
Throwing light on the same, actress Bhumi Pednekar, who is the brand ambassador of Whisper and representative of their latest campaign #KeepGirlsInSchool, says, “When it comes to our society, let me point out that we have risen above many issues. We are in the past – as you know. We are moving forward confidently to make this world a better place to live in. However, as a woman, we constantly face a taboo do and bear is the conversation about periods and menstrual hygiene. We have seen how many myths and an inherent embarrassment about periods in many parts of the country – many of which are about awareness of menstrual hygiene management and stems from a lack of education.”
She adds, “I firmly believe that change comes from within, which will be carried forward only when people have the right knowledge and awareness about a particular problem, which can happen through the efforts of brands like Whisper. With their #KeepGirlsInSchool movement – this is the reason why I have been associated with this movement for so long, because of the promise and commitment the movement has shown towards educating girls and ensuring that we girls Don’t get lost in reaching their dreams and realizing their future.”
This year on International Women’s Day, let us make a promise to ourselves that we will do our best to fill the gap between the society and the education on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) so that it is better without any menstrual taboos. The future can be made.