Ippadiku Naan

Girl 1 : My back hurts a lot—and so does my head! Girl 2 : Why? What happened? Girl 1   (whispers slowly) : I have my period.  Hush-hush...  Not only men, but even women often shy away from speaking about menstruation. Many women experience the  “walk of shame”  while carrying sanitary pads. During my school days, I too carried a pad wrapped in newspaper, shielded by friends—as if I was smuggling something dangerous. That’s because most of us were taught to keep menstruation a  “secret.” Almost every woman reading this has experienced some form of alienation during their period. Some of the bizarre practices I have heard from friends range from mild (like  “don’t bathe or wash your hair,” “don’t touch pickles, yogurt, or plants” ) to severe forms of exclusion ( separate utensils, bans on entering the kitchen in their own homes ).  Menstrual taboos may or may not stem from patriarchy, but they do  suppress women . Each practice is often backe...