Menstruation is a fundamental part of the female human body and without it monthly presence, women would not be able to get pregnant not to talk of childbirth. Unfortunately, that time of the month is surrounded by some period myths.
Menstruation aka period, menses, visitor, “downtime (India)” happens when blood gushes out of the female genitalia.
That time of the month which usually does not exceed seven days for some women comes with extreme nausea, crippling headache, stomach cramps, mood swing, etc.
Pickasblog explored how menstruation has been shrouded in age-long belief.
1. Visitation to the bathroom is prohibited. In Afghanistan, It is believed that when a woman is seeing her period, she must avoid taking her bath because doing so, might make her infertile i.e. ‘gazag’.
2. Menstruating women are unclean: This is prevalent in many parts of the world and supported by the major religion of the world. menstruating women are not allowed to enter some place of worship because these places are ‘clean.’
Practised widely in Nepal, India. Period blood is seen entirely different.
3. Syncing of periods: You probably have fallen for this. It is believed that when two or more women spend time together, perhaps as roommates, their period comes at the same time. Is this true?
4. Wash your face with period blood: In Philippians, it is believed that when you first experience your period, you need to wash your face with the blood to have spotless skin.
5. Goat is slaughtered: In south-Africa, a goat is slaughtered and the menstruating girl is isolated with her head covered till sunset from friends.
6. Uncooked Moi-Moi: In Nigeria, there are many beliefs, one is that when a menstruating woman touches Moi-Moi or attempts to cook it, it would not get done.
7. Poverty: If a woman is on her period and she sleeps in the same bed with her husband, he will be unfortunate or poor.
8. Tampon deflowers: It is a popular belief, especially, in the U.K and U.S that tampon breaks a woman’s hymen and takes her virginity.
This is untrue because the hymen is not a flat piece of tissue that completely covers the vaginal opening. In most cases, the hymen is a fringe piece of tissue that is around the vaginal opening.
9. Periods are shameful: In some societies, menstruation is perceived as shameful and embarrassing. It is even prohibited to discuss it in public or private.
10. No sexual intercourse during menstruation: It is believed that a woman on her period should not have sexual intercourse.
List some myth that you heard about menstruation in the comment session
