Secret Issues, Open Answers

“Women’s intimate health, should the issues remain hushed or is it time we spoke out?”

 There are two types of women's health issues. Some on which, all of us should speak out, and some, on which we shouldnt waste much time.  A lot of these depend on what strata of society we are looking at


And yes, I will talk about health issues, where girls in villages, who have just started menstruating, are forced to leave school because of non existent hygeinic toilet facilities.

I will talk about women who are forced to use dirty rags instead of pads.

 I will talk about research done by Maria Fernandes of WaterAid in the interiors of Chattisgarh and MP,  where women from the Saharia tribe of Sheopur describe being locked up in cowsheds, left to use, straw, dirt paper, rags and so on, during those days every month.

And I will mention with horror the dirt insects and infections of the urogenital tract , that the girls are subject to.

All because , no one wants to talk about this in the open and make programs on this on TV. 

Even we did not, till the efforts of Arunachalam Muruganantham  at designing a low cost sanitary pad machine came to light. And at some point , a NGO called Goonj, got the village women into a dialogue about these things and helped them form a self help groups (SHG) that manufactured these low cost pads with Murugananthams technology.

There are intimate issues  of birth control, taboo subjects in families, where visits to doctors consist of the doctor sittng behind a screen asking questions of the lady via her husband, and she answering back the same way. There are infections no one wants to talk about and sometimes these are ignored in the big excitement of having provided a son to the family.

There are issues regarding violence, nutrition for young girls in male centric societies, and so many issues that need us to shout from the rooftops. 

These issues need to be brought out, explained , discussed and the women need to be encouraged to talk. 

And I will not talk about the oft mentioned  sanitary pad ads on TV , which supposedly make folks with remotes , uncomfortable.

I will not mention ads on TV that run down dark complexions and encourage insecure types to slather themselves with lightening creams with untested ingredients, because fair folks get jobs unfairly.

And I will  not talk about ads for pills,  that supposedly allow you to keep your affairs going without the risk of a pregnancy happening, which is what the actual ad implies.

I don't see how girls who wear low waist innerwear exposing trousers, transparent  tops, with a deliberate display of inner straps and assorted stuff, simply in response to some vague current fashion,  need any help talking about initimate issues.

 I don't see, how those who go under the knife, however minute, to augment parts of their anatomy, need any help talking about initimate issues.

 And I still don't see, how those  so called educated types who indulge in hormonal therapy (with proven serious side effects) just to look young , need any help talking about intimate issues.

While discussing and women's intimate issues may have a mixed response, what is clear as daylight is the fact that males need to be educated and sensitized to these issues.    Perhaps some issues will cease to be issues then.

......

I notice that  this writeup, for the weekend writing competition by Blogadda requires me to add a code, which brings to light the folks in association with whom this is being held.

A surf through their website tells me that their amazing rejuvenating /tightening cream is available  as one jar for Rs 2430 and a set of three  for Rs. 7290 .

Very clearly , this is meant for those  economically gifted, chemically ignorant ladies ,  hovering at the 99th percentile of glamour and beauty, and hankering for that one elusive percent.

For the rest of the hoi polloi, there is always Kegels Exercises .

Whether we then hush  up the exercise discussion or speak out, will be another competition.