#FreeThePeriod: 14 Myths That Prove Indian Boys and Men Need the ‘Period Talk’

Dear Women,

How many times have you heard a co-worker react to your outburst by asking, “Is it that time of the month again?” and controlled the urge to snap back?

Or you were simply about to enter a place of worship and saw a board that said, “Women on menstrual cycles not allowed?”

Despite the fact that it’s 2017 and ISRO has launched 104 satellites in a single flight, the taboos and myths surrounding menstruation in the country have not seen a drastic change.

The Better India spoke to a few men to gauge the craziest myths they have grown up with.

While we certainly don’t wish to generalise these myths as a reflection of the beliefs of the greater majority, these 14 instances, prove why India needs to have the ‘period talk’ with young boys and men.

1. 1. “Women tend to be unproductive at work when they’re chumming, but a lot of women continue to work (at office or in their respective jobs) fine on their periods.”
      – a 23-year old trainee journalist from Mumbai
   2. “PMS is not real. Women only use menstruation as an excuse to shield their irritation and win fights.” – a 20-year-old photographer.
   3. “A woman is impure when she is menstruating. She shouldn’t enter religious places to offer prayers.” – a 34-year-old technician
   4. “As kids we’d play a game where boys would try to easily identify a girl on her periods, by analysing the way they walk. I used to think girls walked with their legs spread slightly apart whilst on their period.” – 21-year-old student.
   5. “Our mothers grew up with period cramps and never cribbed about them. Period pain is ‘just like’ any other pain you’ve experienced. Why should women be allowed leaves on first day of their period?” – 37-year-old electrician.
   6. “I have heard that period blood is just dirty blood that is released from a woman’s body and it smells awful.” – 18-year-old student.

7. Hilarious taboos around tampons:
“Using a tampon makes a girl lose her virginity”
“How does a tampon fit up there? Isn’t it like a few inches long?”
“Do you use a plier of tweezers to pull a tampon out?”
“You can’t pee with your tampon on.”

8. “Women on their period will contaminate food, if they touch it. They should avoid going into kitchen, shouldn’t cook and certainly not touch milk or newly made pickles.

9. Things women should do on their periods: shouldn’t exercise, shouldn’t washing their hair, certainly not swim.

10. “I have read somewhere that showering while on your period causes infertility.” – 30-year old BPO employee.

11. “Pads shouldn’t be disposed in the same bins we use otherwise at home and need to be kept unseen and hidden.” – a 26-year-old photojournalist.

12. A certain tweet read “Women shouldn’t eat ice or cold things on their period, as it would cause the flow to get cold and chunky.”

13. “I thought a girl’s period flow had something to do with their fluid intake. So, every time my sister complained about cramps due to a heavy flow, I’d tell her to not drink too many fluids.” – a 32-year-old sales executive.

14. “I always wondered how pregnant women went through the whole ordeal of 9 months whilst on their period. Little did I know until I grew up, women don’t bleed while pregnant.” – 24-year-old Business Development employee.

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