It’s high time we start calling periods, periods in front of men

“Mensuration” is still a taboo for many people. Since the day we get our first period, we were told to hide it from our father and brother. And when we asked for the reason, we were told “buri baat hai besharmi lagti hai”. Can someone please clear up why periods are considered “besharmi”? It’s a natural phenomenon – our body bleeds for seven days, and that’s it. When we were at school, it was always hard for us to hide it from boys. We were ashamed when there was a stain on our shirt, and boys would make fun of girls walking awkwardly, hiding their stain, asking their friends to check if there was any stain on their back. It was not their fault that they were never taught about it. And the things we are not taught about, or the secrets we hear a little bit of, always make us more and more curious. When they find out half-true information, they make fun of girls. There were times when sanitary pad companies came to school to teach young girls about periods, but they left boys behind, curious about what was going on. That was the time when they should taught boys as well with the girls. Periods are already a tough time for girls, with all the pain, mood swings, cravings, and discomfort. We need support from whoever we are with. We don’t want to hide why we are not fasting or praying – we want to say loud and clear, “I AM ON MY PERIOD.” Educate boys – if they see a girl with a stain, they should stand up to protect her, not make fun of her. It’s good that most friend circles discuss such things with each other, and the boys are supportive of their female friends, but for some people, it is still a taboo, and this needs to be broken. It is not anything to be ashamed of, nor is it something to be bullied for. It’s the time of the month for females that needs most of your support emotionally, as well as physically. So, to all the boys out there – If your family, school, or friend circles, haven’t educated you about this, I am telling you to start normalizing period talk with your spouse, friend, daughter, or sister. Don’t let her feel alone. Stop making fun of periods – what are you, a sixth-grader? It’s already embarrassing if you get a stain on your dress, and then hiding from others – especially boys trying to have a look at it – makes it even worse. So, let’s stop making it a big deal and start normalizing it.