Menstruation: A Taboo or a Natural Cycle of Women's Bodies?

Why do women often speak of their periods with shame and embarrassment? What place is there for shame in the natural cycle of monthly bleeding that occurs in women's bodies? Why is menstruation a taboo? If it were men who menstruated, would this topic still remain a taboo? Soodeh Rad, a gender equality activist, says the taboo around menstruation is linked to a larger taboo surrounding women's bodies. However, Zhila Mohaddesh Shari'at Panahi, a Quran researcher and women's studies scholar, argues that women should maintain a level of delicacy when breaking the taboo of menstruation. I start the discussion with Ms. Shari'at Panahi. We want to quickly and directly address the issue of menstruation being a taboo in Iranian society. So I start with this question: Why do you think sanitary pads or tampons that women buy are wrapped in black plastic when taken from pharmacies to their homes? Why do you think it can be considered shameful for others to know that a woman is menstruating and has purchased her necessary sanitary product? Zhila Mohaddesh Shari'at Panahi: I think there is nothing wrong with buying a sanitary product. The taboo arises more after use, meaning, for example, it becomes dirty or deviates from the normal state after being used. I have witnessed that after this stage, it becomes more taboo, and how to dispose of it, especially if it is not in the bathroom, becomes a concern. Like a baby diaper, it likely has some contaminants. The woman must take certain precautions... Well, Ms. Shari'at Panahi, the point you are making is fundamentally a health issue, and regarding all the items that humans use throughout the day, they should be disposed of properly when they are no longer needed. But you used the word 'dirtiness,' which raises my next question. I want to ask Ms. Rad whether this word itself has contributed to the taboo surrounding women's monthly periods? Soodeh Rad: Of course, it has. I would have liked Ms. Shari'at Panahi to elaborate more on why a woman or a man, when dealing with sanitary items like pads or tampons, places them in black bags... What Ms. Shari'at Panahi considers dirtiness, I do not believe it is dirty at all. The issue of dirtiness does not arise; before reaching that stage, it is a taboo. Talking about it is a taboo. Buying this item comes with shame, and someone who places this item next to other groceries in a store or pharmacy likely faces much more psychological pressure from society. Now, whether it will become dirty later or not, well, anything can become dirty later. A bandage will be just as bloody as a sanitary pad is likely to become bloody. Given that the blood coming from a woman's uterus, in fact, does not contain contaminants, and any item that becomes bloody can potentially lead to infections or diseases, just as we handle a bandage, we should also handle a used sanitary pad similarly. Is family hygiene meant to ensure that other family members should not know that someone in the family is using this trash can in the bathroom or elsewhere? In fact, this is the question... Yes, let me return to Ms. Shari'at Panahi on this matter. Ms. Shari'at Panahi, regarding the hygiene you emphasized, the important question raised by Ms. Rad is whether family members, especially males, in Iranian families should generally be kept unaware of this issue? Shari'at Panahi: Regarding the black plastic bag, I do not agree at all. Before use, like any other purchased item, it can be in plain sight, and there should be no issue with that. All the pressure I mention, and discussions that may arise, happen after use. You see, as a young lady or a young man, one must always have that specific delicacy regarding personal matters. If I have a small child and have to change their diaper at a party, I will take specific actions, and the same should apply to me as a woman if I need to take care of my hygiene during my period in the restroom with delicacy, and I see no need to inform everyone that I am experiencing this natural condition. For example, in the middle of a party or during a sports activity, a woman must either anticipate this issue or be able to solve her problem politely. Our goal should be to alleviate women's issues. Ms. Rad compares women's hygiene to changing baby diapers. Do you think this has a specific meaning, or do you believe this comparison is fundamentally incorrect? Rad: You see, let's return to the words used regarding delicacy, etiquette, and doing things politely, and solving a problem regarding a natural issue compared to changing a baby's diaper. Well, this might be good from one perspective, that yes, when you change a baby's diaper, you are told to wrap it in a bag to prevent the smell from escaping and to avoid other contaminants. Of course, from a health perspective, I have no objection to that; this care must be taken, but I emphasize that public hygiene is the priority. However, I do not assign a special priority or characteristic to how a woman must handle this if a problem arises during a party. Well, this is not a problem; it is a completely normal occurrence that can happen anywhere, and it is not about solving a problem; it is about how we want to manage this natural process of the body. Please refrain from using delicate or polite words. My point is that this is a management issue regarding the waste produced from this natural cycle attributed to women's bodies, which is a completely public matter and has nothing to do with whether a woman should handle it more delicately or politely. Ms. Shari'at Panahi, you used the word delicacy, and Ms. Rad shared her opinion. I want to ask you, if a woman talks about her period in a public space, at a party, in a gathering, is she often considered shameless in your opinion, meaning she has acted outside of delicacy? Shari'at Panahi: You see, the issue is what the purpose of bringing up the topic is. If the goal is to discuss menstruation in a gathering like we are doing now, none of us, in my view, have been shameless; rather, we are very modest individuals who want to solve a problem for women in society. But if it is presented in a joking, insulting, or humiliating manner, those jokes that target ethnicities and genders... No, this is a different discussion, Ms. Shari'at Panahi! Joking and humiliation are not the point. Shari'at Panahi: Liberation. No, liberation is not my point. My point is that... Shari'at Panahi: Well, for what purpose? In the workplace, women are asked why they want to go home now? Or if they need to take a few hours off, they inform their boss that they are menstruating and do not feel well and want to go home. There is often a perception or analysis or judgment that this woman could have said something else; why does she say she is menstruating? I am saying this from that perspective, meaning announcing her status, her physical condition at that moment, in a gathering about this topic. Shari'at Panahi: You said if the intention is to solve a problem or to provide awareness to someone that it is necessary, there is no issue. I agree that this topic is taboo in our society and should be eliminated, but eliminating this taboo should have a recognized limit, both from women and men; it makes no difference. A father should know that his daughter experiences issues during certain days of the month. But if we want to trivialize this and say it is not a problem, it promotes a kind of sloppiness regarding this matter, and I oppose that. I say there is a limit. Up to a point, it is very good to discuss it, but to treat it as a trivial matter, like a hand injury, no, I see a distinction between these two. Ms. Rad, do you agree with the limit that Ms. Shari'at Panahi speaks of? Rad: When they say it is not like a hand injury, I can imagine. But let us imagine a gathering where it does not matter whether it is only women or both men and women. I would like to hear an example, but the main issue is why this topic is often considered shameless; that is, why is this limit, especially the one Ms. Shari'at Panahi wants to hear, exactly where is it or is it really relative? Ms. Shari'at Panahi, where is this boundary? When does it become sloppiness in your opinion? Shari'at Panahi: As long as the issue is necessary and it is a matter that does not turn into a joke, there is no problem. It is not shameless and is a very... like any other condition that may occur for anyone, it can be brought up. But if it wants to be treated as something very ordinary, then I am sorry, that promotes a kind of sloppiness, which is what I referred to regarding women. We often take care of our clothing, our makeup, to ensure it is delicate, clean, and not offensive. This is the same, but it is a bit more sensitive because it relates to sexual relations that may be relevant for every woman and man. If you want to generally remove sexual issues from taboo, I oppose that, but if you want to remove related health and medical issues from taboo, I am 100% in favor. Ms. Rad, in fact, she believes that since menstruation relates to sexual relations, and Ms. Shari'at Panahi, you even mention talking about menstruation during that time... I mean, this is one of my questions that often there is not even a direct reference to this topic. Let me see what Ms. Rad has to say in response to you. Rad: Well, the explanations you provided indicate that the word 'shame' is used very consciously. Shamelessness is, in fact, nothing but shamelessness and lack of modesty. Now let’s go a bit further, promiscuity. In fact, as you, Ms. Shari'at Panahi, say, menstruation is completely related to sexual relations. I do not understand its relation at all. A person may menstruate in their life without ever having sexual relations or not. The fact that someone is going through their menstrual cycle has nothing to do with their sexual relations. And if someone is in the street and now their coat or clothing has a blood stain, and everyone knows this blood stain is from menstruation, what information does it provide about sexual relations? I do not want to delve into whether we should put a sign above our heads regarding sexual relations or whether we want to remove the taboo from it. Right now, my main question is: When someone is menstruating, when should they feel ashamed that they think when they see this, they are talking about sexual relations? Certainly, among our listeners, there are those for whom sexual relations are taboo; they want no one to see them or know about it, and it has nothing to do with religion or being very enlightened or the way it is in colloquial speech. If I am now comfortably talking about menstruation, am I also comfortably talking about my sexual relations or generally about sexual relations? ... The comparison of menstrual pads with baby diapers, in fact, we are... should not speak or feel ashamed if there is a blood stain on their clothing and do not pay attention; at that moment, they are revealing their sexual relations. Shari'at Panahi: You see, I did not use any of the terms that Ms. Rad used. It has nothing to do with shamelessness and promiscuity and such things, and I did not use such terms either. My recommendation is that Ms. Rad should not use these terms either. Because I did not...