#BloodIsThickerThanWater

Hello one, hello all. Before I begin, I would like to ask you as to how many of you indeed value this wonderful thing called life? And also, how many of you crave immortality or at least, a longer life span than most? Well, secretly or otherwise, I am sure that quite a lot of you crave this.

Now, let’s take a step or indeed a few steps backwards, and carefully think about the source of Creation or Genesis or, in layman terms, life itself, shall we? Most religious texts (and I would like to apologize in advance if I cause any discomfort to any one, as that is not my intention) mention and establish God as the beginning of Life. Science establishes the Big Bang Theory as the source of creation as the events which took place after the Big Bang led to the formation of the first units of life, known as coacervates, the forerunners of bacteria. However, let us move away from all that and focus on something else, which is related to what I just mentioned. After Creation/Genesis, or for that matter, the Big Bang, our Earth was populated with life, and after a certain period of time (as this is not a scientific article, I have not provided the exact timeline), men and women. As science shows, it is women who are biologically equipped to give birth to life, meaning babies. Despite the fact that men play a role as well, by providing their sperms (and that is all, I am afraid, we do, guys), it is ultimately the women who are the true heroines in this saga called child birth, as it is them who bear all the pain of childbirth and undergo the associated difficulties, such as impaired mobility, difficulty in lifting or bending when the situation demands etc.  

Thus, it can be safely said or declared that no matter what the original source, it is women who have been giving birth to us humans and men. And, as we all know, there is a monthly phenomenon which takes place in the body of women, known as menstruation or periods. And how can we define them? We can define them as the monthly discharge of blood caused by the disintegration of the uterine lining. This process, along with the secretion of estrogen and progesterone, leads to the possibility of giving birth, if the sperms have been discharged just prior to the sixteenth day (on which ovulation takes place). And to ensure the safe disposal of the menstrual blood, women use sanitary napkins, or sanitary pads which thus allow them to safely and hygienically dispose of the blood without affecting the environment.

And here comes the biggest joke of all time. While we appreciate the physical beauty of women, their sense of humor, their resourcefulness, etc or in other words, their physical attributes, we cringe when the ‘p’ word is mentioned or at the mere sight of sanitary pads when they happen to peek out of the black plastic bags they are sold in. Indeed, it is ironical to note that in a culture and country like ours, where we revere female goddesses and also, in some cases, fear them, as in the case of Goddess Kali, and also celebrate their festivals with great pomp and ceremony, as can be seen in the celebrations of Durga Puja in West Bengal. And no, people, these celebrations aren’t only restricted to Goddesses alone. Ordinary women who achieved extraordinary things have been immortalized in our culture as well, as in the case of Lady Savitri, who is known all across India for her never ending devotion to her husband. So, coming back to my main point, that in a culture which respects and has been respecting women since written records exist, why shame women or even make them feel ashamed just because of something that is quite a natural part of life and indeed, something which allows life to bloom? Why the irrationality in refusing to take even the name of the process and make it, quite unnecessarily, a social taboo subject which results in it being treated like a Lord Voldemort kind of thing, whose name can’t be taken. And what is even more foolish and childish s that they sell sanitary pads in black plastic bags, as though one is selling illegal organs or ammunition, and another irony by the way, these two commodities are sold openly. Funny, isn’t it? Life taking or threatening things are sold openly whereas life giving things are sold stealthily or in a covert manner.

And that is why; I would like to make a stringent, genuine and serious request to all of you. Stop shaming women solely because of their periods and instead, accept it and even celebrate it as a process which helps in giving birth to life. Stop selling sanitary pads in black bags and instead sell them in transparent bags. Let women be celebrated for what they truly are. On this note I end my monologue. Jay Maa Durga!

Have a great time ahead readers. And yeah, ladies and girls, this one is especially for you. J