Some absurd period myths that are still believed by women in the 21st century
What is the weirdest menstrual myth that you have heard?
We would say that there is no end to this question. Some women say that they have been told how female sanitary cups can make them lose their virginity, while others still believe that touching men during menstruation can deteriorate male health. Yes, you heard that right!
In a world where some women are digging on search engines about menstrual cups how to wear, there is another group of women who are still figuring out if they can use any sanitary products instead of a cloth.
The state of menstruation in India is bizarre. Undoubtedly many initiatives have been launched since the past few decades and movies like “Padman” were an ode to menstrual hygiene, but were they enough?
Still, many girls drop out of school when they start their periods because their family thinks that managing periods while going to school isn’t something that their little girl can pull off. And to some extent, this is true as well. Women in most parts of rural India still use cloth or other insanely weird products to contain or absorb their period flow, and this shouldn’t be the case. The cornerstone of menstrual hygiene is based on awareness. So before you step on the first block, let’s bust some menstrual myths that are still prevalent in India.
Myth #1: The vagina needs to be cleaned
Yes, it does, but not like how most women do by altering the pH of their vagina disastrously. There are several instances where women hear how they need to keep their vagina clean, but does the vagina need cleaning? No. The truth is that the vulva should be cleaned. The vagina is a self-cleaning muscular canal that connects the uterus to the exterior. Our vagina and vulva both are self-reliant, so washing them with alkaline soaps or cleaning products does no such good.
Myth #2: Women should not water plants when they are on their periods
Some societies and cultures still believe that menstruating women are impure and unholy. So, when they water plants, they might die or lose their sacred value. However, there is no scientific fact or proof that justifies why menstruating women can pose any threat to plants or make them unholy.
Myth #3: Washing hair during periods can make women infertile
This is one of the weirdest myths that we have heard so far. When you travel back in time you will find out that old cleaning rituals involved bathing in rivers and lakes. Women used to chant and pray as well which was completely forbidden during periods. So, our ancestors believed that washing hair with the river’s cold water can lessen the blood flow, and swell up the uterus to affect women’s fertility. Also, the water was used by many and menstruating women might make it unsanitary. But the truth is washing one’s hair during the period is not related to infertility in any way.
The bottom line
Most of the time, these myths are a result of years of socio-cultural influence. The taboos and stereotypes surrounding menstruation are insane. Women are often clueless about different sanitary hygiene products and their usage in their day-to-day lives.
Ranging from questions regarding menstrual cups how to wear to cleaning female sanitary cups, there is a cloud of uncertainty that is created by a lack of menstrual awareness. So, clearing this cloud is the only way to create menstrual awareness and debunk the myths that have been around for ages to torment menstruating women.
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