Scarleteen

What are some common period taboos in your community /nation? Are there any? If yes, how have they affected you?

Im painfully unaware about other countries and communities, but in India, period taboos top all lists of stupidity. Here are some common ones-

1. You can not talk about periods anywhere, NO MATTER WHAT. Males, females, whomever- You just cannot say the word in public. You cant even talk about menstruation to your fathers, brothers, or any related males. If you're menstruating and they know, it's considered a shameful thing. You'll be ridiculed like hell.

2. Advertisements for sanitary napkins are considered shameful too.

3. You can't buy a sanitary napkin without being stared at. While walking into bigger multi-speciality stores and getting one is easy, if you were to go to a local pharmacy and ask for a pad or a box of pads, everyone within earshot will be flustered, and the seller himself will pack up your box, no matter how small, in multiple plastic bags, like he's handing you heroin. One of the main reasons why no women's washrooms in India never have machines for selling pads or tampons.

4. In certain communities, instead of promoting hygiene while menstruation, women are not allowed to have a bath for the first 2 days of their periods.

5. You cannot touch a woman who's menstruating; Its considered impure.

6. While on your period, you can't cook food or even go into the kitchen; You may 'contaminate' the food.

7. You aren't allowed to do any household work and in rural places, they might make you sit outside when someone's cleaning up.

8. You cannot visit temples, leave the home, attend a wedding, or celebrate festivals when on your period. Its considered disrespect. Also, a person who has touched you when you're on your period cannot go to a temple too.

I have NEVER been affected by ANY of these, as I live in a relatively urban area and my parents are free thinking, forward people. However, many friends and many people in comparatively rural areas have to face these.
My heart just goes out to them, for being treated like dirt. I just wish the society could accept that menstruation is a normal biological process, as normal as peeing or eating or sleeping.

Sorry to hear all of this!

I would say there is a certain amount of taboo in the UK, but not to the same degree. You are expected to go through with your everyday life if you're having a period no bans (as far as I'm aware) from places of worship... although like any society it's actually going to have a mix of people who maybe do have views like those you mention.

I'd say the biggest issue really is just treating periods like something dirty... Menstrual products are advertised as 'feminine hygene', as if collecting your blood is getting rid of something dirty, rather than actually just a comfort thing that keeps your clothes from being stained. The same go for applicators, which help people put in a tampon without physically having to touch their vagina... so even though there are fewer life activities which menstruating people are restricted from, they still might be made to feel dirty.

I think really for many of my friends this is improved simply by being around people with good attitudes to menstruation and that doesn't necessarily mean being urban or rural, it's more just about people.