A red dot to stop period shaming
Ahead of the ‘Menstruation Hygiene Day’, the internet sparks a UNICEF India campaign against period-shaming
When society sets a taboo, trust social-media Samaritans to turn it into a challenge, with a flurry of posts that urge netizens to speak freely and clear myopic views around the stigmatised subject. Now, in an attempt to raise awareness around the “Menstruation Hygiene Day” on 28th May, UNICEF India in collaboration with ‘Post For Change’ have launched a recent campaign called the “Red Dot Challenge”. The campaign brings together celebrities and online influencers to talk about period shaming by posting a picture with a bright red dot.
NO MORE SHAMING—PERIOD!
The online campaign aims to support young girls by addressing the issues that are often ignored during puberty. The message on the official Instagram account of the organisation reads, “These are uncertain times we are living through. We’ve all had to make changes in our lives. While so much has happened so fast, one aspect of a girls’ life has not changed — she still gets her period every month, with even more challenges due to the lockdown and restrictions. This can be a lonely time for her as menstruation is rarely discussed openly. Most girls have their first period with little knowledge of what is happening. Periods don’t stop for pandemics. And neither should our support for young girls because #MenstruationMatter, always.”
As part of this online initiative, ‘Post for Change’, a nonprofit organisation founded by London-based influencer Diipa Khosla, has been reposting pictures of men and women reaching out to 110 million people through the #reddotchallenge.
Diipa shares her take on this challenge with a picture. “Together with these influential men and women we will make a stand here today with all those who feel the same. For the time that girls feel afraid or ashamed of their natural cycle is over. 10 days long we post together. May this be the beginning of a new, shame-free era!! Please join us in this shame-free revolution by posting a selfie with a red dot on your palm and together we can show the world the power of social media for social change,” she writes on her social profile.
CONNECTED AND ON THE DOT
Unsurprisingly, the challenge has picked up heat on social media in no time, supported as it is by Indian celebrities such as Aditi Rao Hydari and Diana Penty.
“Put a period to shaming the period,” reads a message on Aditi’s page against a picture of herself.
Actress Diana Penty joined the bandwagon with the message, “It’s about time we put a ‘period’ to period shaming. Cos there’s no shame in it.”
Together with these influential men and women we will make a stand here today with all those who feel the same. For the time that girls feel afraid or ashamed of their natural cycle is over. 10 days long we post together. May this be the beginning of a new, shame-free era! — Diipa Khosla, founder, Post for Change NGO
A lot of us men don’t even want to talk about periods. We need to know about this; only then we’ll be able to support women around us, be it your mother, sister, girlfriend or wife. This discussion is vital to erase the misconceptions surrounding menstruation
— Shrawan Chhetri, designer and influencer
Actress Kubbra Sait of the web series Sacred Games fame went a step ahead and shared a personal story with her post. It read, “Literally two months have gone by, I’ve sat here and waited for the one thing that is constant in the world of absurdity around us. My periods. This lockdown has given me the time to take it easy on my body... rest well... stay hydrated and love myself. I hope you’ll do the same now and through and through this time. Be well. Be healthy. Be proud of your cycle and listen to your body.”
BANNING THE STIGMA
Even as celebrities do their bit to raise awareness on the issue, many bloggers have started coming forward for the cause.
Kompal Matta Kapoor, an influencer and blogger, says in her post, “There is nothing dirty, unclean or impure about the period. Let’s all come together and put an end to period shaming.”
Interestingly, it’s not only women, but also male influencers who are lending their support to this challenge.
Designer and influencer Shrawan Chhetri, who posted a picture of himself with the red dot, says,
“There has always been a stigma attached with menstruation for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I used to think it’s some kind of a problem or disease because there were just too many dos and don’ts around the subject of periods, such as being banned from entering the kitchen or places of worship. A lot of us men don’t even want to talk about periods. We need to know about this; only then we’ll be able to support women around us, be it your mother, sister, girlfriend or wife. This discussion is vital to erase the misconceptions surrounding menstruation.”
Actress Kubbra Sait of the web series Sacred Games fame went a step ahead and shared a personal story with her post. It read, “...This lockdown has given me the time to take it easy on my body... rest well... stay hydrated and love myself. I hope you’ll do the same now and through and through this time. Be proud of your cycle...”