Tamanna Sharma, O.P Jindal Global University
Introduction
We live in a world where at every corner there is a man present, and every word consists of one too. Menstruation is no different however Indian history didn’t always stigmatize menstruation. Twelfth century ‘Yogini’ temple at Orissa consisted of sculptures which glorified menstruation but today our society doesn’t allow women to sleep on beds, enter temples or live in the same house during their menstrual cycles.1 There have been voices raised by women challenging the advocacy, state and fighting for the rights envisaged in the Constitution. Movements like the Shani Shingnapur Temple entry, the Sabrimala Temple debate, and GST removal on sanitary napkins have taken place and were led by women. UNICEF Pakistan reported that 49 percent of girls knew nothing about their first period, 10 percent of girls in India believe that menstruation is a disease and only 11.25% of girls use safe sanitary products during their periods.2 Menstruation is a stigma which needs to be eradicated. It needs to be considered as natural as breathing and for the same, our society needs to be made sensitive.
