30 October 2025
Author: Lakshmi Balachandran Nair
Abstract:
Menstruation is simultaneously a taboo and a stigmatized topic in India and in many other parts of the world. For instance, menstruators (i.e. people who menstruate) in India are subjected to various cultural norms and religious restrictions such as not being allowed to partake in religious rituals, to enter religious institutions and kitchens, to draw water from wells, in addition to not being permitted to even touch plants, auspicious items, sour foods etc. In some Indian communities, women are even required to stay in separate menstrual huts during their periods. These and other similar negative connotations surrounding menstruation both directly and indirectly affect gender quality, reproductive and general health, access to education, opportunities for career development etc. for girls and women not only in India, but also worldwide (Werner et al., 2023). In the Indian context in particular, the lack of education and awareness surrounding menstruation and menstrual health is an additional hurdle. Girls who get their first periods are often ignorant or misinformed about puberty and periods. It is not uncommon for girls experiencing menarche to worry that they might have contracted an illness, when encountered with menstrual blood for the first time (Krishnan, 2022). The parents and teachers are either uncomfortable discussing the topic or are ignorant about it, or are both. Any information on menstruation is usually thus passed down to girls from reluctant, uninformed mothers. Such information might also come from friends or relatives, who themselves are likely to be either misinformed or to possess outdated information. Even grownup women are thus not properly informed and are thereby unequipped to handle the painful cramps, premenstrual syndrome, heavy bleeding, and the other physiological and psychological changes that accompany the menstrual cycle. This is the story of millions of menstruators in India, including the founder of ScarletScribe.
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