- ANIKA DAHAL ACHARYA
"What are you doing, how many times I have told you that in these days you shouldn't enter the house or touch us, I am just fed up of you, you will kill us very soon by touching us" said a mother to her daughter who innocently looked at her mother not knowing what words she was hearing. Well she had fever, for which she wanted her mother to caress her. Her mother loved her unconditionally, but on those days she was treated as enemy by her own mother. She was hungry, yet she was not fed appropriately. She finally thought that she has committed sin for which she was treated inappropriately every month. She also saw her mother getting same behavior from her father and grandmother on those days. And she finally thought she is committing crime by bleeding and that's the reason she is treated this way. Yes, she thought menstruation was sin. That sin which made her sit alone even in fever on those days, where she was made to sleep alone away from home in cow shed, "what a cowshed" she screamed for the first time when she was compelled to go on cowshed during her menstruation.
She thought from that day, her life, imagination, her future will be finished in that cowshed. As she grew up, her little sister was also treated in similar way as she entered her menarche. She felt pathetic, yet could not do anything. She felt so scared to sleep on cowshed, as she heard loud voices of animal around. And the more heart wrenching situation was that she was not allowed to use bathroom and was not given any rice, milk, meat, fruits, green leafy vegetables to eat. Eating rice by menstruating woman was thought to be a huge sin. When she protested her mother told that it will infuriate the Gods and consequently that wrath will negatively affect the entire family. She was also not given to touch any cattle, because if she touched the cattle it will die was the belief, and she was restricted to go in any water source because there was belief it will dry up eventually. One day she accidentally touched her brother during her "those" days, she not only got scold from her parents but her brother was compelled to be purified with cow urine. She was prohibited to go on any religious ceremonies, even weddings, in the belief that they are impure. She was forced to endure freezing cold in winter and sweltering heat in summer.
Frustration was in extreme level, she thought a way to get rid of all these activities. Yes, she got rid of this situation, she was never told to be in cowshed, she was not treated as untouchable human being. Her mother never scolded her because she was no more; she committed suicide as she could not tolerate our society’s “savage tradition”, where cultures are more important than humans. Is menstruation really a sin? Society lost an enthusiastic human who could have brought a difference in in the society.
Although inspired by the reality of our society, the above mentioned story is fictional.
Menstruation, neither a sin nor a taboo is a natural part of the female reproductive cycle in which periodic discharge of blood from the uterus exits through the vagina from puberty until menopause (ceasing of regular menstrual cycles), except during pregnancy. In the course of menstruation, woman not only experience heavy bleeding from vagina but also encounters with varieties of problems like abdominal cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, bloating, fatigue, bowel issues, mood swings, and the most important making the society to accept this as a natural phenomena.
Societal boundaries for women has refrained them from speaking about menstruation. Menstruation is a natural phenomenon that many women experience but it is constantly hovered by societal restrictions, taboos and negative stigma. Menstruation has been surrounded by taboos and myths that eliminate women from many aspects of socio-cultural life. Many cultures hold on different beliefs and myths that restrict women from daily activities and hygienic health practices, which lead to adverse outcomes such as infection.
Taboos and myths regarding menstruation existed since the ancient period. The ancient Greeks believed that if a girl’s menarche was late, blood would accumulate around her heart, and her uterus would wander around her body. This could produce erratic behaviour, from violent swearing to suicidal depression. Things had been no better in medieval times. Men thought that simply one drop of menstrual blood would burn their reproductive organ. The blame game for menstruating woman existed in the contemporary period too. When meats rot faster, milk didn’t turn into butter and wound took longer to heal; menstruating woman was held responsible for this.
Things didn’t change even today. Menstruating women still suffer from practical, economic and cultural barriers every month. They are restricted to enter kitchen, participate in religious activities, to bath in common rest room, to touch their family members and they are compelled to stay outside their room during menstruation. Other restrictions related to diet (taboo on eating curd, milk, pickles, onion, potatoes among other items) are also imposed. These restrictions has ostracize women and girls and made them felt guilty if they violate these menstrual taboos. Even in situations where women and girls do not face strict taboos related to menstruation, their menstruation is still to remain imperceptible and women are not supposed to talk about their periods openly. This silence regarding menstruation has made the pubertal girls to ignore their development and the changes in their bodies brought by menstruation. And I still try to find answer why we women are still embarrassed to speak about totally healthy, bodily function.
Menstrual taboos can lead to ineffective menstrual health management, adverse reproductive health outcomes, social ostracization, disease, and even death. This not only violate women’s right but also right to health, bodily integrity, privacy, equality and right of freedom from inhumane treatment.
Menstrual taboos exist in every culture, traditions, religions, geographical areas and it is imposed to women all over the world. Menstrual taboos are found in the Quran:“go apart from women during the monthly course, do not approach them until they are clean, the Bible: “…in her menstrual impurity; she is unclean… whoever touches…shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening” And in the first Latin encyclopedia (73 AD): “Contact with [menstrual blood] turns new wine sour, crops touched by it become barren, grafts die, seed in gardens are dried up, the fruit of trees fall off, the edge of steel and the gleam of ivory are dulled, hives of bees die, even bronze and iron are at once seized by rust, and a horrible smell fills the air; to taste it drives dogs mad and infects their bites with an incurable poison.”.
Different countries have different taboos regarding menstruation. In Bolivia, women and girls believe they should not take a bath in cold water while menstruating, for fear of falling ill and becoming barren. In China, women are not permitted to wash their hair throughout menstruation. In Western Uganda, menstruating women and girls are not allowed to consume milk in fear of causing the cows to produce bloody milk. In Bangladesh, menstruating women and girls are not supposed to cook foodstuff or work in the rice fields. In Bali, Indonesia menstruating woman is not allowed to enter the kitchen to perform her usual duties, she is to sleep apart from the family and has to keep her clothes that she wears while menstruating away from any clothes that she could wear to the temple. In one part of Sub Saharan Africa, the pottery makers are imposed to certain restrictions like menstruating women are not allowed to touch or manipulate the clay. In some portions of South Asia, there is a menstrual taboo, with it frequently being considered impure. Restrictions on movement, behavior and eating are frequently placed. More than one-third of girls across South Asia do not go to school during menstruation.
A mixed method study conducted in Mumbai, India regarding restrictions during menstruation revealed 85.4% women faced restrictions during menstruation; this include religious, physical and social restrictions. It also revealed that women cannot discuss openly at home about menstrual issues and they are considered unclean and untouchable during their menstrual periods.
The taboos in regards to menstruation may have psychosocial implications in menstruating female. There can be individual difference on how females perceive these taboos. However, evidences shows that these taboos are limiting menstruating female’s ability to fully participate in community life, education and employment. These can also affect their mental status. Just before the start of menstruation female often experience premenstrual syndrome and sometimes premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Psychologist often refer these two as culture bound syndromes .The symptoms of PMDD are remarkably similar to those of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) like lethargy, depressive mood, hypersomnia or insomnia..
A cross sectional study done in turkey regarding the relationship between suicidal behavior and menstruation showed that among the patients who presented to the hospital after attempting suicide, 64 (62.7%) was in their menstrual period.
Nepal is no exception in this case, from eastern to western region, in every part of country, menstrual taboos is imposed on female. Menstrual taboos, an event of stigma and sin are named as tradition, and this tradition is killing women in Nepal. Menstruation in Nepal is clouded by certain taboos which are; during first menstruation girls are expected to hide in specific room for several weeks, restrictions in going to kitchen, religious place, use the family rest room, touch the family members and forced to stay in cowshed, or a small hut made outside the house often known as chaugoth. These taboos in Nepal can lead to physical as well as psychological hardship in females. In the west of the country, a practice known as “chhaupadi” prevails where menstruation women are forced to leave their homes and stay in secluded huts. The system is also known as ‘chhue’ or ‘bahirhunu’ in Dadeldhura, Baitadi and Darchula, as ‘chaupadi’ in Achham, and as ‘chaukulla’ or ‘chaukudi’ in Bajhang district. This kind of treatment is a cultural custom in Nepal, and reflects the social stigma attached to menstruating female that remains too common today. This practice has resulted in several deaths. In January, 2010 an 11 year old girl from Accham died from diarrhea and dehydration as she was kept in menstrual hut. Her family believed that if they touch her they will be impure, so they refused to bring her to hospital. Another latest death reported was at 2019, when a woman died at menstrual hut due to suffocation and smoke inhalation after lighting a fire to stay warm. There are various reported deaths of women in menstrual hut; Carbon monoxide poisoning from lighting fires to heat the sheds was a common cause of death. Wild animal attacks were another.
Despite of the death count and hardship that female encounters, chaupadi and menstrual taboos are still practiced in Nepal. Are traditions important than a life that god created? Society is ready to sacrifice their daughter rather than changing their culture.
A mixed method study in 2018 conducted at Accham revealed 72% of the girls practiced Chhaupadi, during their menstruation, the remaining girls 28% stayed inside the house, yet practiced some form of menstrual taboos. Most exiled girls (97.4%) were restricted from eating dairy products. Participants reported having various psychological problems, including loneliness and difficulty sleeping while practicing Chhaupadi. Three of the girls were physically abused; nine were bitten by a snake. High proportions of the living spaces lacked ventilation/windows, electricity, toilets and a warm blanket and mattress for sleeping
Though chaupadi was made illegal by the Supreme Court of Nepal in 2005, it was still practiced. Hence in 2017, Nepal passed a law punishing people who force women into exile during menstruating with up to three months in jail or a fine of 3,000 Nepalese rupees. But these laws could make no difference on certain part of western region.
We, I along with my team members conducted a quasi experimental study at Jumla regarding effectiveness of education in menstrual hygiene. Our study showed during menstruation 75% of respondents had restriction on household work. 81.3% had restriction to enter kitchen, 89.3% respondents had restriction to do religious work or visit temple and 47.3% of respondents were compelled to stay at chaughar during menstruation. After conducting two days structured teaching programme to the group, the figures above were same even after 2 months. We could make no change in regards to taboos faced by menstruating female.
Menstrual taboos have equally affected the eastern and central region limiting the productive time of female. A study conducted in Sunsari showed that 19.7% of the respondents practiced any kind of restrictions. Among them, 58.4% weren’t allowed to cook and visit temples and 25% girls were not allowed to do the household work (cooking) and touch male family member. Similarly a study conducted in rural areas of Chitwan showed that all (100%) of respondents were restricted to cook during menstruation and 87.3% of respondents were forced to stay at separate room while menstruating.
These taboos in regards to menstruation have greatly affected physical and mental well being of female. Female are lacking the basic hygiene management during menstruation due to the restrictions, this may lead to various reproductive problem. The great contradiction of menstruation is that it is the evidence of both womanhood and fertility and, also the major source of shame and inconvenience. In today’s era most of the females are successful economically, politically and socially. But this doesn’t matter when it comes to menstruation; we are still embarrassed to talk about it. Despite of current situation, menstruation and menstrual taboos does not stop for a pandemic. It is even harder due to the lockdown as females are lacking the menstrual materials to manage their menstruation hygienically and in dignified way.
Menstrual taboos are surrounded by socio-cultural and religious traditions. Changing this taboos is very challenging and long term process which requires multipronged approach that includes strict enforcement of law, educating parents, changing people’ mindsets and empowering girls. Menstruation is normal biological phenomenon, and the entire individual should understand that they have the power of procreation only because of this virtue.
End the stigma. Menstruation is not a taboo. Accept the blood that only bleeds without violence.
(Acharya is a Nursing Lecturer)