The Consequences Of Menstruating Women

For women, menstruation is an inevitable part of life. It is something that is experienced on a monthly basis, and is a sign that reproductive system is functioning normally. Despite being a sigh of health, menstruation has been given very negative connotations. Menstruation is surrounded by shame that causes a reluctance to discuss the issue, leading to an innumerable amount of consequences. In this research paper, five main points will be discussed to prove and demonstrate the shame that women face because of their menstrual cycles. First, women are treated very differently while menstruating, both in a historical and modern context. Second, women, particularly in third world countries, miss out on an education because their periods restrict
For a long time, periods were viewed as unclean and impure. Having contact with a menstruating women would have been taboo, and still is in places like Nepal. This way of thinking is not only harmful to women who are being subjected to banishment, but also anyone who menstruates. The idea that menstruation impacts how a woman should be treated has become a major factor in society’s way of thinking. Women are told to feel shame and disgust while they are bleeding, and men feel a lot of anger and disdain about it. This can all be traced back to historical opinions. There is no reason to stigmatize periods anymore, yet it still occurs because people refuse to alter ways of thinking. The historical casting out of women in society during menstruation has led to an unchanging view that periods are shameful. This shame surrounding the topic has led to deaths and other grievous offences towards women in need, as well as more minor offences like the devaluing of women while they are
Young girls experiencing menstruation in developing countries often have to miss school because there is not enough access to feminine hygiene products (Mason et al., 2013). The products were, of course, available, but were often too expensive for anyone to buy. So the girls would have find solutions. In an article about menstruation in Kenya, it is stated that “The most commonly mentioned alternatives were old clothes, blanket or pieces of (bedding) mattress. Some girls used several pairs of panties, socks, towel, cotton wool or tissue. Very occasionally mention was made of using grass, leaves, polythene, paper or material from sacks” (Mason et al., 2013). It is much the same in countries like India, Nigeria, Tanzania and Pakistan (McMahon et al., 2011). Even when the girls were able to use these products, they were not overly effective. Oftentimes, they would have to leave halfway through the day because their menstrual blood would leak through. Even if the makeshift hygiene products effectively stall the bleeding, they can often lead to infection because they are not at all sanitary. Chaffing inside of the vagina due to the materials used were also commonly complained about. (Mason et al., 2013). There are two aspects as to why shame has a major impact on girls’ education. A lot of what is going on in Kenya has occurred because of lack of