MENSTRUATION AND THE ABSOLUTE SHAME IN THE 21TH CENTURY

Even in New York school city system, there’s none regarding menstrual education for fifth grade, either, as New York State does not require public schools to teach sexual health education until sixth grade — years after many girls have already gotten their first period.

So, If it is this bad in New York City in 2018, what the heck is the state of menstruation education across the nation?

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https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/air-shame-periods-still-taboo-topic-130054094.html

Cost and access still a major problem
Then there are the millions of girls and women around the world who are unable to access necessary menstrual products and adequate toilet facilities.

"In India alone, only 12 per cent of the entire population of bleeders have access to the products they need. I mean that's dire poverty and the fact that we don't talk about it is the reason why this happens," Ms Gandhi said.

What is a routine part of life for many women is a significant burden for others, which can involve days away from school or work, and risking regular infection.

UNICEF estimates that one in 10 school-age African girls does not attend school during menstruation.

"If you're bleeding from your body in sheer discomfort and you don't have the power to ask for the products you need … you will continually live in shadows, in quietude, in poverty and in oppression.

"It prevents women from reaching their fullest potential," Ms Gandhi said.

Shame and silence harms women
The situation is particularly challenging for many migrant and refugee women.

Speaking with women from countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and South Sudan, Professor Ussher found that menarche — a young woman's first period — was often a frightening experience.

"A really high percentage of women told us they didn't know about menstruation before their first period, so they felt horror, they felt shock. Many women thought they were dying or that something was really wrong with them."

Despite not wanting their daughters to go through the same experience, many women felt too embarrassed to talk about their period, even with their own family.

"They say to us, 'I don't want my daughter to go through that, I don't want my daughter to have to go through what I went through', but they don't know how to talk about it — they feel shame talking about it," Professor Ussher said.

Ms Pickering has surveyed thousands of Australian girls and women about their period for a new project about menstruation and menopause.

"The responses time and time again when we asked, 'What would make getting your period better?', girls of school age said, 'Menstrual products where the wrappers don't make any sound'."

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/air-shame-periods-still-taboo-topic-130054094.html