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Years of suppression, years of discrimination, years of subjugation. Gone are those years, when she was caged in jail. Gone are those days, when she was not given any right. Comes into light, her days of freedom and well-being. When her decisions don't go unheard. When she experiences happiness and bliss. This is her story.
Celebrated on 28th May
Health- a word that automatically draws us to issues like heart problems, high and low blood pressure, diabetes, kidney failure, and several others. Every part of our body gets equal attention when we decide to go for a thorough check-up to calm our not-so-healthy heart’s health tensions.
But what about those intimate moments that we share with our partners? Talking about these moments might be a walk of shame for both men and women. But even today, discussing sex life is considered to be shameful for women. The traits of being shy, and well-behaved always interferes with the way women express themselves. Freely expressing their sexual desires becomes a matter of great concern for the oh-so-concerned society.
Though sex education has always been a part of our curriculum, the fault lies in the educational institutions wherein teachers avoid these topics as if they were parasites. A little knowledge is more dangerous than having no knowledge. When the elders of the society decide not to open up on this topic, it becomes even more harmful for the teenagers who deliberately try to learn about it through other means which might not be safe for their age. In our viewpoint, sex is still taboo. The elders in society never want to address the issues related to the sex life of a person. But ultimately, this is the only way through which the entire world comes into existence. While watching a show with the family, if an intimate scene appears, those awkward coughs and exits from the drawing-room, fumbling with the remote to change the channel, and sharing awkward glances, have indeed become our daily habit.
"Sit with your legs closed. How can you sit like a man with no worries in the world?"
"Aren't you going through those days of the month? How can you enter the temple? Don't enter the kitchen. And don't you dare touch that pickle jar. Even better, don't come out of your room. You will pollute everything that you touch."
From dialogues of these sorts to beliefs that say that a child born from a mother's womb is impure because it pops out from the vagina which is considered to be impure. A child after exiting from the womb must be purified so as to remove or wash out the impurities.
These beliefs have been around us since time immemorial. But now, the time has come to wash off this belief system instead of purifying the only means of blood that does not result from violence.
Sexual problems are not some kind of disease or deadly epidemic that society wants to avoid. Sex is very much a part of our daily life. For some, it may be a source of increasing their family members and for some others, it may be a source of pleasure and there's no shame in admitting it.
But the problems faced by women is more than anybody can ever think. Be it those awkward gynaecology sessions or be it those hushed discussions with our friends, we are always afraid to shout out our problems. The complexity of a woman's body makes it even more important for women to take care of themselves given the unawareness of sanitation and hygiene. Unhygienic conditions and knowledge that keeps on dwindling with time make them even more prone to infection, so much so that they die of problems that could be easily solved. Under such circumstances, it becomes necessary to talk about the conversations that do not happen even in the whispers of women in the veil. It is time to talk about these problems loudly.
28 May- a day when full liberty is given to women to shout out their problems in front of the world. Why only 28? Why only that one particular day and what about the other 364 days of the year? Do their problems magically vanish into thin air?
Talking about the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, this day aims at raising much-needed awareness on women’s health issues, especially Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. It however does not aim at making posters and banners just for display on roads and websites for that one single day, but reminding every person present on the face of the earth that women’s health matters. The obnoxiously loud demands of the elders for having at least two to three children hustling and bustling around the house is fine until the time for the discussion of health issues arise. The loud and excited voices for increasing the members in the family suddenly becomes low and hushed when discussing the problems of the vagina.
Starting from receiving correct information about sexuality and sex education, this is indeed the first step to make women aware of the various issues that will arise as they grow up. That small section of our science book will never tell them what lies underneath the topic.
Just because she is a woman, does not necessarily mean that she wants to be a mother. She has the right to decide when she wants a baby and when she does not. When pregnant, she should have proper access to maternity care. A term called abortion which not be very pleasing for most of us is a matter of a woman’s right and choice. Since it is her body, it is she who gets to decide what to do with the fetus. Sometimes due to the unavailability of proper techniques in abortion, severe after-effects are seen. Thus, women need to have access to safe abortion and post-abortion care.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases have become a common phenomenon. AIDS, HIV, and other deadly diseases tend to transfer due to improper use of contraceptives. Even this points to the lack of proper education and information about sex.
Prostitutes, sex workers, red light areas. While these words may not be uttered with familiarity in our tone, these people too are the citizen of the country. Be it women or be it the transgenders who provide sexual favours in return for money, they too face the brunt of health problems all the while. The lack of knowledge about the various problems that can arise due to unprotected sex and the urgency to live a life that was never chosen by them to earn their bread makes them more vulnerable to mental issues as well. Proper health sessions which include an all-around discussion of health problems and other psychological problems are very much essential for these people.
Many women even today face the brunt of the lack of menstrual knowledge and hygiene. May 28 is also dedicated to making women aware of issues that arise due to the unavailability of proper feminine hygiene products. Those ads on menstruation which might make us uncomfortable are something that forces those small girls to stop attending their schools and playing their favourite sports every month due to lack of menstrual products.
Many villages and underdeveloped areas do not have proper access to menstrual products. It is either due to the unavailability of those products in the vicinity areas or the lack of knowledge that such products are indeed available. Sometimes, due to fear of harming themselves, women do not use these products. Also, these products are more expensive than what they usually use. It is not only period poverty that stops these women, but the belief that such products are polluting in nature also stops them from going any further.
A mural made by Bidisha Saikia which says- BLEED WITH DIGNITY; Source: NDTV
May 28 is not just a day that reminds society that women too face problems. But it is also a day that asks those same people to listen to the problems of women, make them comfortable, understand their decisions, and make them realize their values. And perhaps this is what every woman expects from us. Be it our mothers, or be it our daughters, be it a stranger you meet in a local bus or train or be it the girl who lives next door, lend them a hand of support and stand by their side and for once, don’t question them.
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