“The red alert, the ragnagnas, the ketchup week, the tagadas”… Lots of cute and delicate nicknames to image the natural menstrual cycle of women.
“I'm unwell, it's not a good week, I'm in my red week” an abundance of pretty little sentences to embellish this sweet period that many dread.
Is this a way of avoiding saying the word “periods” to better stigmatize them?
Let's go back to the time of Socrates in the 5th century BC to understand.
According to the Greek philosopher, women do not participate in procreation, they are only the recipients of the homunculus (the miniature man) deposited in them by the man. And are therefore inferior beings.
Once patriarchy began to intrude into societies, the blood was split into two. The noble blood of men, the strong blood of the stronger sex (the wounds of war or hunting) and on the other hand the blood of women, the dirty blood of the weaker sex.
So why has it become a taboo? The birth of a taboo generally results from a deep fear of a power that we fear, that we fear. The centuries and decades punctuated by patriarchy have sought to muzzle the power of women's bodies by exercising control and pressure.
This phenomenon has developed and become commonplace. As children, we have all seen an advertisement on television where a woman smiles while pouring a blue liquid onto a sanitary napkin. As pre-teens and teenagers, we all had this thought when the first period arrived: “You are a woman now! ".
All this mystery continues in some families because many still associate periods with sexuality and/or first intercourse. Without simply associating it with human nature and biology.
In France, speech has been freed for several years.
Many women have used their influence to lift the veil on periods and the disease that results for some: endometriosis.
Products are diversifying on the French market: period panties, menstrual cups, hormonal gels, boxes for the first period, etc.
The word is freed, women have taken to the streets to demonstrate the obtaining of the “Pink Tax” for hygienic products. On social networks, some influencers have decided to accept and normalize panties that are sometimes stained during their periods. Associations and collections have been created to allow all women in precarious situations to benefit from them.
In certain countries, the mystery remains complete for young girls:
Iran: 48% of young girls think periods are an illness.
Bolivia: Ban on throwing towels in the trash. Young girls think periods cause serious illnesses like cancer
Malawi: The rules must remain secret. They are forbidden to talk to boys during this period
Afghanistan: Ban on showering during menstruation under penalty of becoming sterile
Things are changing, the cards are being redistributed and the rules are changing, but there is still a long way to go.
Find Inher , our 360° solution for periods.
