The verbal shaming and discrimination of menstruating people are known as period or menstruation stigma. In some parts of the country, menstruation is surrounded by different myths, some of which bar women from cooking and visiting their various religious places because they are assumed to be impure, filthy, or even cursed. Several ill remarks have been made concerning menstruation which has made several ladies feel less of themselves.
Many girls in Nigeria cannot afford sanitary pads, most especially in the rural areas, pads cost over 500 naria, and most households tend to forgo providing sanitary pads for the girls In the family, because of its cost, they have to make do with rags, newspapers, tissue paper which makes them susceptible to infections and possibly could lead to infertility in the future. Even those who can afford pads have to make do with managing the pads with non-sanitary products for it last.
By refusing to talk about menstruation openly, we are portraying the idea that it isn’t acceptable to be discussed openly without certain terminologies and slang (red code, M.P). If a girl wants to discuss her period with another girl they do it in hushed tones which aren’t supposed to be so.
The easiest action that can be carried out to end period stigma is to make sure, that the issue of menstruation isn’t discussed in hushed tones, it should be spoken of openly to slowly break whatever rule that bars discussing it openly. Let’s stop using hushed tones or codes, say it out let those around you get used to hearing it. To prevent these reoccurrences in the future, the male folks need to learn about it too, as some of them will become future Fathers to girls. In the 2020/2021 JAMB Novel “Sweet Sixteen” by Bolaji Abdulahi we see a Father who isn’t ashamed to discuss menstruation with his daughter.
Sanitary pads should be made very affordable as menstruation is not a choice, by creating easy access to basic sanitation products, we’ll be creating a happy society. Normalizing menstruation will benefit everybody as it is neither a curse nor an impure state. Women should not be ostracized for a normal healthy bodily function each month. Menstruation is normal.
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