The periods taboo: how can we combat these preconceived ideas?

For some time now, spurred on by female influencers on Instagram, committed brands like Elia, podcasts, we've been hearing more and more about periods in the modern world! But there's still a long way to go: taboos still persist.

Contents

Why do we talk about the periods taboo?
What are the misconceptions surrounding periods ?
What are the consequences of the periods taboo in France and around the world?
What can be done to combat the periods taboo?

Why do we talk about the periods taboo?

The periods taboo refers to theomerta surrounding the subjects of menstruation and the female cycle, which struggle to find their place in everyday life. When a woman has her periodsshe's generally conditioned not to let anything show. Pain, menstrual crampspain, menstrual cramps, migraines, fatigue, sanitary protection... So many inconveniences and discomforts that go unnoticed. Among top sportswomen, menstrual flow is also a taboo subject, and is only just beginning to emerge in the media. Indeed, what more normal explanation could there be for a slump in performance? It's a physiological situation like any other.

This taboo around periods sometimes goes even further: it can also be accompanied by intolerable stigma, prejudice and superstition. In France, women are supposed to miss out on mayonnaise when they're menstruating, while Indian women are forbidden to go near food or visit temples when they're menstruating so as not to contaminate anything... These false popular beliefs help to keep this taboo alive periods andaffect women's lives and rights.

What are the misconceptions surrounding periods ?

There are many misconceptions about menstrual flow, rooted in different cultures and origins.

periods blood is not clean

The first stigma is that menstrual blood loss is dirty: associated with the often misunderstood female genitalia, menstrual blood is often considered impure.

Unlike the blood that flows through our veins and symbolizes life, menstrual blood loss symbolizes death: the death of an ovum that should have been born, of a lack of fertilization... But women aren't just baby-making machines! Most men are also put off by the idea of making love during periods, either because they don't want to get dirty, or because they're afraid of the sight of their penis covered in blood.

Menstrual bleeding is intriguing because of its variations in color and appearance: the presence of clots, pinkish to blackish to brownish blood. Menstrual flow can take on many different appearances, depending on its position in the cycle. It therefore appears less clean and smooth than the fresh, vigorous red blood pumped by the heart.

Menstrual cycle pain is normal

Since the dawn of time, women have learned not to talk about their periods, and therefore not to complain about them, thus keeping their menstrual pain under wraps. This has helped the next generation of women to perpetuate the idea that it's normal to suffer pelvic pain with every cycle: we're also the first culprits of this omerta! While menstruation may cause slight discomfort or a tugging sensation in the lower abdomen, it's not normal to have unbearable menstrual cramps: a consultation with a gynecologist or healthcare professional is necessary.

This lack of interest in the ailments and disorders of periods has accentuated the lack of knowledge on the subject, and in particular the delays in diagnosing gynecological diseases or conditions such as endometriosis, toxic shock syndrome, premenstrual syndrome... A woman who gets upset has often had the remark "but do you have your periods or what?" at least once in her life."But like everyone else, we can have good or bad days, regardless of hormonal variations in the cycle or supposed hysteria...

You can't talk without shame about your periods

Today, it's still difficult for women to say "I've got my periods" openly and simply. We're seeing the development of more colorful expressions or formulations: women have "their moons", "ragnagnas" or "the English girls who are coming".

Similarly, when a girl asks a friend for a sanitary napkin to tide her over, or if she has a stain while getting up from the chair, she often whispers discreetly so that it doesn't get out... Sad reality! It's not so long ago that blood flow was represented in ads by a more hygienic, more "marketing" blue liquid. Today, many brands, including Elia, have managed to give it back its natural color!

While it seemed that freedom of speech had been liberated in the West, new studies have in fact revealed that one person in two would find it inappropriate to talk about it in public. In fact, 46% of French people believe that the mother is still theonly person to talk to about periods.

But in other countries, such as India, Nepal or Africa, superstitions surrounding menstruation go beyond shame: some menstruating people have even lost their lives or committed suicide, victims of these intolerable traditions and beliefs.

Impossible to play sports or go swimming with his periods

Another common misconception is that it'snot possible to exercise during these periods! On the contrary: sport eases menstrual cramps by warming and relaxing uterine muscle tissue. Sport calms uterine contractions, making it easier to bear the pain.

As for swimming and water sports, while our hygienist society sees a problem with swimming with periods, there is no physiological contraindication: we do bathe! In any case, there are a number of sanitary protections suitable for swimming: tampons, cups, period swimwear... There's no shortage of solutions for enjoying a few laps in the water like everyone else!

What are the consequences of the periods taboo in France and around the world?

When half the population concerned doesn't dare talk about their daily lives, their menstrual cycle or their periods, this can have consequences for the freedom of speech and society in general.

Menstrual precariousness

Menstrual precariousness is defined as the difficulty women have in accessing sanitary protection. In France, 1.7 million women suffer from this condition. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent among people living on the streets, but is also found among students, people with insecure jobs and women in prison.

Dropping out of school

Who hasn't been indisposed at a young age, asking her parents for a note of apology for school! The taboo surrounding pain and being at ease with one's body during this period is at the root of high absenteeism rates. Some girls may even drop out of school if they are repeatedly absent, shattering their future.

Yet we know thateducating women is a very important point in a just society. Moreover, access to sex education, biology and physiology courses, gives everyone a better understanding of the female body and cycle. Misunderstanding and fear of what we don't know are generally at the root of false beliefs: we need to explain periods!

Social isolation

Being menstrual can also result in social isolation, in some countries where they are considered impure and unwelcome in their own homes.

What can be done to combat the periods taboo?

Ignorance and fear give rise to taboos. It is therefore important to understand the physiology of the female cycle, whether for young girls and boys or adults:

It is a natural and physiological phenomenon: resulting from the degradation of the endometrium following a lack of fertilization, the uterine mucosa evacuates through the vagina in the form of a bloody discharge, with or without clots, and whose color and viscosity may vary.
Don't be afraid of the vocabulary: periods Menstruation, vagina, vulva... These are not vulgar words, but the right words to describe the female anatomy with precision l.
Women are neither crazy nor hysterical: periods are neither the systematic cause nor a patronizing excuse for anger. Hormonal variations throughout the cycle are, however, a scientifically proven explanation for mood changes that may occur as part of premenstrual syndrome.
The blood of periods is not dirty: whether it's blood from the arteries or from the breakdown of the endometrium, it's blood, and it's part of the body's natural secretions, like so many others.

Remember: periods is not and should not be a taboo subject! It's a completely natural phenomenon, neither dirty nor impure. On the contrary, it's a subject worth talking about.

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