Tag: taboo

WHY MENSTRUATION A TABOO IN INDIA?

Menstruation is a phenomenon unique to girls. Menstruation is the natural part of the reproductive cycle in which blood from the uterus exits through the vagina. It is a natural process that first occurs in girls usually between the age of 11 and 14 years and is one of the indicators of the onset of puberty among them.

Taboos surrounding menstruation exclude women and girls from many aspects of social and cultural life. Some of these are helpful, but others have potentially harmful implications.

In India especially, I found it extremely ironic for it to be still a taboo in this time and era, even before I don’t understand why it was called a taboo and the reason for that I guess was, India where a girl child recognised as boon ( as GODDESS LAKSHMI when born) and giving birth is also considered boon given only to women despite that this unique process that make it possible for a women to have a child is considered a TABOO. Even with many scientific clarification of the process of this unique phenomenon, even though being this 21st century there still continuous myth regarding this adapted within the society.

SOME OF THEM ARE:

  • Women who menstruate have long been taught to keep silent about their periods. Young girls are taught from a young age that they have to manage it privately and discreetly.
  •  In Indian households including the literate ones, women are constantly reminded of the old-age traditions where “you are not allowed to touch anything holy, visit temples, cook or touch pickle.”
  • The taboo is so ingrained that women often have the “walk of shame” while carrying their sanitary pads wrapped in black plastic bags in their hands. 
  • Strangely enough, in some cultures, celebrations are held on the commencement of menstruation. And in the same cultures, the already menstruating women are looked down upon as impure and filthy.
  • It is not uncommon for boys to giggle and laugh during biology class when the topic of menstruation comes up.
  • BUT NOT IN EVERY CULTURE IT OCCURS- In Kashmiri Hindu culture, menstruating women are given special care considering the belief that they become weak due to blood loss. They do not consider them to be impure and rules like, a woman on her period can’t visit temples or can’t work don’t apply.

#BREAKTHEBLOODYTABOO

It’s high time that we normalize menstruation as just a healthy and positive part of the female life cycle. Menstrual periods are nothing to be ashamed of. Just like digestion, blood circulation and respiration are considered as natural and biological processes, both men and women should work towards making menstruation an important topic to talk about openly. This is the only way to combat its silence and break the stigma.

some changes I notice toward breaking this taboo for women in this society

  • The greatest changed I noticed was for the changed working environment toward women as the sanitary environment facilities given to them as employment care like washroom provided with sanitary pads and tampons etc.
  • knowledge about the first period to young girls now given at their school is compulsory not only to girls but to boys too given knowledge for it be known as normal topic and not as a taboo topic.
  • Advertisement about sanitary pads and tampons starts to make this topic to talk openly about.
  • Men buying the sanitary pads and tampons make it comfortable for women during their periods so that they can express their thoughts, sorrows, angers, happiness with them.

WHY ARE INDIANS AFRAID OF DIVORCE?

PROLOGUE TO THE THOUGHT

Our general public has been man centric and man-driven for quite a while. It gives men the opportunity to be their own lords yet denies ladies the equivalent. Culture completely concurs with men continually ruling and ladies continually being ruled. A man can stop a marriage at whatever point he wishes to, however society questions and derides her if a lady wishes to do likewise. It in a real sense anticipates that women should endure quietly, even get suffocated yet not get a separation.

SOCIETY’S PERSPECTIVE

Tragically a man needn’t bother with authorization for anything, while a lady needs it for everything. We gladly declare that we are instructed and making the world a superior spot to live. We yell trademarks about opportunity for ladies as loud as possible yet, actually, neglect to walk the discussion. It plainly draws out the false reverence of our general public. We gladly announce ourselves to be ‘present day. ‘For what reason can’t a lady decide to carry on with her own life according to her own preferences? We forcefully go against abusive behavior at home and the customary traditionalist mentality about ladies. In any case, do we really follow it at our homes?

They say ‘Good cause starts at home. Be that as it may, shockingly, separate is as yet a no-no in our general public. We show our kids that marriage is a sacrosanct establishment. Yet, that doesn’t imply that it is a declaration of joy. For what reason wouldn’t we be able to comprehend if marriage as an establishment isn’t working any longer? Most families consider separation to be the apocalypse. They don’t attempt to put themselves in the spot of individuals who are in that despondent marriage. Separation can have a good implication. Assuming a dead relationship is finished, it doesn’t mean everything is broken. All things considered, it is a new beginning. On the off chance that the two players arrive at a shared agreement that separation is the best hotel for them to be content in their particular lives, for what reason do individuals have an issue?

WHY IS DIVORCE VIEWED AS A SOCIAL STIGMA?

Another misinterpretation is that assuming individuals get separated, they become fierce foes to one another. In our country, ladies can’t consider leave a relationship rapidly. This is on the grounds that they are ladies. Society regularly fails to remember that before ladies, they are people. In the event that a man has the option to be the expert of his own life, then, at that point so does a lady. Much of the time, because of family pressure, ladies can’t tolerate upping for themselves and move out of a poisonous relationship.

We need to comprehend that solitary the spouse and the wife go through detachment after separate. The detachment doesn’t happen among youngsters and guardians. The guardians’ condition with their youngsters stays as before. It is only that the guardians play out their obligations independently. Subsequently, the two players improve life. Created nations like the USA are substantially more OK with separate. They comprehend the issue and backing the reason. In the event that we can take on their dressing sense and style of food, for what reason wouldn’t we be able to accept their expansive mindedness?

Marriage can give a conviction that all is good, yet separate from gives another desire to have a glad existence. Likewise, being a solitary parent is any day better than displaying a poisonous relationship. We need to comprehend that separation is surely not the most exceedingly terrible thing for youngsters, but rather undesirable everyday life is. It can likewise empower the two accomplices to fill in life once they feel glad intellectually.

POSITION OF LAW

The Seventy-First Law Commission Report of 1978 methodicallly contended the meaning of defining which perceived unrecoverable breakdown of marriage as a firm ground for separate. As per this, great separation law has twofold articles. Right off the bat to safeguard, and not subvert, the soundness of the relationship. Then, if the couple, through shared agreement, concludes that their marriage has hopelessly separated, then, at that point they ought to be liberated of it. This should be finished with complete equity and the base harshness.

TOWARDS THE END

A few cases have offered strong help to this contention. Henceforth it plainly addresses a social reality. Society has changed drastically, thus has our manner of thinking towards marriage. In this way, if a marriage has gotten suffocating and broken past all prospects of fix, then, at that point it should be finished.

Separation, in India, is as yet a sociocultural disgrace. Separation rates for Indian people are 0.3 percent and 0.2 percent, separately. Incidentally, this is in spite of that spousal viciousness is the most normal type of aggressive behavior at home in India. Thus, separation ought to be viewed as an answer and the way to independence from a poisonous relationship. It ought to positively not be a social shame.

Eventually, advancement is reflected in one’s thoughts.

Does India has low divorce rate because of happy marriages?

Divorce refers to the legal cancellation of marriage declaring that marriage as null and void. Marriage which is said to be a union of two individuals is generally expected to last till the death of the couple but in some cases when the couple feels that they are not compatible with each other or are hindering each other’s growth or any other reason , they decide to legally cancel their marriage . The reasons for divorce are many not just the two reason which are mentioned above raging from domestic violence, to the cases where one partner commits infidelity to cruelty, insanity, desertion etc. It is not good to continue in a relation which is turning toxic as it will affect the mental as well as physical well being of an individual.

India , the second most populated country in the world has less than 1% of divorce rate while Maldives which is 11,031 times less populated in India has the highest divorce rate in the world with 10.67% of divorces happening per 1000 inhabitants. The reason for such a high rate is that being a Muslim country, Maldives prevents any kind of premarital physical relations and as soon as the children turn 18 , they marry . Also the marriages there are not at all a costly affair with $10 being the fee for the judge and 10 relatives being invited to the wedding. The decisions taken in such tender age of 18 are often proves to be wrong , as the partners mature with time they realise that their aims are very different from others. Also, there are no social obligation restricting them in a unhappy marriage.

Why is there such a huge discrepancy between both the countries? Is it because people in India are quite happy with their partners? Or is it because they are married with their choice of life partner? Read the blog completely to know the reasons.

Why does India has such low divorce rate?

The main reason for divorce rate being the lowest in the second most populated country in the world is that people consider divorce to be a taboo. Marriages in India are a big affair with every acquaintance being invited and treated to the best lavish dishes and luxurious gifts that the family can provide which often leads to the expenditure of the entire savings of the family and heft loan amounts. According to a common belief, here marriages are made in Heaven and even if you are suffering terribly you should not break the bond which is said to be pious tying to people in a matrimony for their next seven human lives. This belief is very contrary to what the VEDAS(the oldest religious scriptures in the world which is a theoretical source for all the laws written in the SMRITIS which used to govern the laws in ancient times) say.

Also, there is a social stigma attached to the divorces which questions the character of mainly the woman stating her to be incapable of “fulfilling her husband’s demands”. Women since centuries now, are a piece of toy who despite all her qualification fails to be called a successful woman if she is not married and has not produced the kids. It is a woman who is supposed to adjust, putting even her self respect at stake. This is the reason where a woman even after becoming a victim to domestic violence never dares to file for separation as victim blaming and shaming starts soon after and she eventually accepts domestic violence as a part of her life. A woman is supposed to have no voice of hers as she is considered incapable of taking correct decisions for herself. What an irony it is that staying in a venomous marriage is considered to be good for a woman! This is the reason that the states of Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP where patriarchy still has a strong hold have the lowest divorce rates while the liberal North East has the high rates. It is the state of Mizoram in India that has the highest divorce rate of 6.34%

The time period of divorce also stretches infinitely long sometimes taking years when the divorce is not mutual which drains the involved parties emotionally, mentally and financially due to the amount of alimony involved.

What does the VEDAS say about the marriage and divorce

According to Kirron Krishnan a Vedic spiritual theist, Rigveda (which contains information about religious, social and economic life of the people) or any of the other three Vedas do not contain any mention of the term called divorce. In those times the term was not needed because according to Rigveda , the husband takes the hand of the bride to live with her till their old age playing with their grandchildren respecting her , loving her and supporting her all along. Meanwhile the wife was the queen of her husband’s household who would over the same support , respect and love back. It was a mutual show of respect by both the parties which did not leave any scope for any domestic violence case. Further, unlike in today’s time where a daughter is considered to be a liability who is born just to be married off, in the days when India was a golden bird the women were trained and skilled by her family and was married to the groom of her choice and the same was prevalent with men.

However there is the mention of remarriage if one partner dies , rennounces the world , disappears , is involved in criminal activity or is impotent. The laws in the ancient times were far more suitable for both the genders than they are today.

Is it good to have such a low divorce rate in the country

By stating that the low divorce rates are not good it doesn’t implies that the divorces are good and more people should have it. If the couple in the marriage is happy then there are no issues, but if the couple in the marriage is not happy with each other and is only together “because they have no other way” then it is completely wrong as it will generate negative vibes harming the couple as well as their innocent children . It is seen in more than one cases that the children from unhappy marriages results in being a frustration box to their parents’ outbursts which hampers the growth of the child.

silence: Menstruation Ahead

Shhhhh…… “it’s that day of the month”.

Menstruation or period has always been taboo. People don’t want to talk about it. It is a natural cycle. And that’s how a female body functions, doesn’t it?

Taboos around menstruation have always explained it to be something to be kept hidden. Religious taboos on menstruation consider women on their periods as “impure”. It is weird how a normal body function can be considered impure.

In Indian, it is not allowed to enter the temple for a woman on her period, or touch the pickle jar. This misogyny doesn’t just prevail in India, but all around the world in their unique ways. Women in Nepal are kept secluded in a menstruation hut, not allowed to enter the kitchen or touch anyone while they are on their periods. Indonesian women face similar issues in India and Nepal. The political boundaries couldn’t have succeeded to unite the nations with menstruation taboos.

Misconceptions, cultural norms and silence has led to living in the dark, letting such taboos build up. People are not enough educated about it as they find it shameful. Many girls around the world don’t know about periods till they have them for the first time. Because of this lack of knowledge and social humiliation women around the world risk their lives. As the period is not talked about, women at some places use clothes to soak up their period blood; at times use the same cloth after washing because, either they feel shameful to buy a sanitary napkin or don’t have access to it.

Even when these sanitary napkins or pads are bought, are wrapped around with newspapers and then put into a black polythene bag, just to ensure double safety so nobody sees it. It is treated as something nobody should find out. Even while asking for it women almost whisper so that nobody in the vicinity could hear about it as it has been taught to them it shouldn’t be talked about.

We have even watched advertisements of sanitary pads on television, where a blue coloured liquid is poured on the pad just to show them how much the pad can soak. But the question here is- do women bleed blue? And the answer is an absolute no. Then why do the advertisements show so? It is just so that the viewers don’t feel gross. But shouldn’t the reality be shown as it is? These aspects also contribute to misconceptions and often confuse.

Out of curiosity, boys in the class often take out sanitary napkins from female classmate’s bags. Lack of menstrual awareness often leads to period shaming, where a girl getting stained from period blood is shamed and mocked leading to humiliation. Not women but men and every human being should know about it. Schools should have awareness programs to aware the students about menstruation and menstrual hygiene. It should also be taught how a person on periods can be taken care of. Periods are a healthy and natural function of a women’s body.

Not just women but also men should know about menstruation and menstrual hygiene. Schools should have awareness programs to aware the students about it. It should also be taught how a person on periods can be taken care of. There is nothing to be embarrassed about girl blood staining her dress, or having a sanitary napkin in her bag. Periods are a healthy and natural function of a women’s body.

Same-Sex Marriage in India- Is Homophobia Prevalent?

It is said, “love has no boundaries”, and thus, same-sex marriage is no longer a weird fare and just limited to heterosexual couples. Many countries have legalized the marriage of heterosexual couples, giving them the freedom to enjoy their rights equally to the LGBTQ+ community. However, the Indian Constitution still has not shown a green flag to the idea of heterosexual marriage.

LGBTQ and Hindu Mythology

It can be established that homosexuality was prevalent in ancient India from the epics of Ramayana, Mahabharat, and the temples of Khajuraho. Many instances of deities transforming into the opposite gender to serve a sacred purpose have been mentioned in these epics, such as the ‘Ardhanarishvara’. Lord Vishnu took the form of the charmer, Mohini to trick the demons to hand over ‘Amrita- the elixir of life’. Even ‘Arjun’, one among the Pandavas, is an example of gender variance where he took the form of ‘kliba’, a member of the third gender as a result of the curse, and took the name of ‘Brihannala’, which helped him survive the last year of exile. Many other instances have been mentioned in the epics about such gender variance and homosexual interactions, although it had sacred purpose than mere sexual pleasure.
Recently, the Central Government opposed couple in Delhi supreme court stating that a wedding in India is often recognized as long as it’s between a “biological man” and a “biological woman” capable of producing children. Living together as partners or during a relationship with a same-sex individual is “not comparable” with the “Indian family unit concept” of a husband, wife and youngsters, the govt said, arguing that the institution of marriage features a “sanctity”. “In our country, marriage necessarily depends upon age-old customs and societal values” despite statutory recognition of the connection of marriage between a biological man and a biological woman,
However, on 6 September 2018, the Supreme court of India decriminalized gay sex marking a historic judgment in the Indian judiciary. The court defined love to be without boundaries.
Supreme Court’s judgment within the Navtej Singh Johar case “does not extend the proper to privacy to incorporate a fundamental right within the nature of a right to marry by two individuals of the same gender”. The government also said that while the court can look over existing rights for this, it cannot create a new right. It is not “permissible” for the court to override the legislative intent regarding limiting the legal recognition of marriage to heterosexual couples, the Centre said. Marriage between two individuals of the same gender is “neither recognized nor accepted in any uncodified personal law or any codified statutory law”, the Centre said.
“Any interference with the existing marriage laws would result in the balance of personal laws within the country and it would bring further irregularities in laws governing marriages of Christian or Muslim faith”.
The reply was in response to 3 petitions filed last year. In one among the petitions, Dr. Kavita Arora, a psychiatrist, and Ankita Khanna, a therapist, sought enforcement of the fundamental right to ‘choice of partner’, after their application for validation of marriage under the Special Marriage Act was rejected by a wedding Officer in Delhi because they’re a same-sex couple.
The second petition was filed by Parag Vijay Mehta, a foreign Citizen of India cardholder, and Vaibhav Jain, an Indian citizen, who got married in Washington DC in 2017. His application was rejected for registration of marriage under the Foreign Marriage Act by the Consulate General of India.
The third PIL was filled by defence analyst Abhijit Iyer Mitra and three others, for recognition of same-sex marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act.
The government in response to the three petitions seeking validation of same-sex marriages said there exists a “legitimate State interest” in limiting the popularity of marriage to persons of the opposite sex. It is important to keep in considerations of “societal morality” which is relevant in validating law and based upon the Indian ethos the Legislature has to enforce societal morality and public acceptance, said the Ministry of Law and Justice says.
A marriage in India majorly depends upon “age-old customs, cultural ethos, rituals, practices and societal values”, which contributes to the Section 377 of the IPC covering homosexuality, the Supreme Court had only decriminalized “a particular human behavior” but “neither intended to, nor did actually, legitimize the human conduct in question”, the Centre told the Delhi High Court.

Conclusion

Homosexuality has always been an affair of controversy for society. But having a different sexual orientation than the maximum of the world’s population should not be a reason for not providing them with the same rights as others.
Many such people are afraid of accepting their sexual orientation in front of society because of the humiliation and social exclusion they have to face.
An anti-discrimination law needs to be enforced that empowers the LGBTQ community and helps them build a productive life and relationship irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation. The focus should be placed on changing the mindset of the state and society and not the individual.
Many countries have already legalized same-sex marriage. Now, India should also step forward with a progressive mind and legalize same-sex marriage as it is causing no harm to other individual’s rights in any way.
Same-sex attraction has existed since ancient times and is not something new that has arrived unprecedentedly with the new trends and styles of living.
Same-sex marriages should be legalized and given the right to be performed like every other marriage. The rituals and traditions should not differ between same-sex marriage from a heterosexual marriage.
When the government can decriminalize homosexuals or same-sex couples to indulge in sexual acts, then why can’t same-sex marriage be legalized? Marriage is a sacred practice of two souls unite for the love and care of each other, why can’t homosexuals wanting live a married life with the one they want to spend the rest of their life be allowed to perform this sacred ritual? India can’t just develop with the advancements of industries, innovation of technologies, and broadening of roads, but has to broaden up its thinking and accept the ones among them who are not in majority. This taboo needs to be acknowledged and the individuals should be given the same rights as others to be enjoyed.

IMPACT OF PORN ON MODERN SOCIETY

We are living in the 21st century where the term ‘sex’ is considered as a taboo by our society. Since sex, a very basic human necessity, has been dealt so covertly, people ended up being hesitant to talk or discuss it openly in public. Sex education was included in the school curriculum as a result of relentless demands by the liberal and freethinking blocks of the society but has ended up more like a human biology and anatomy education rather than actual sex education. This has led to the scenario of people being poorly aware of the topic even after being taught about it.

Unlike a few years ago, with the advent of modern technologies like the internet, smartphone etc, porn has become a readily accessible material to everyone, especially teenagers. The lack of proper sex education and overexposure to pornographic contents set forth a complex scenario of our young generation mistaking the fantasies portrayed in porn for real. Porn often manipulates one’s idea of an ideal partner with unrealistic expectations which eventually leaves a considerable impact on our relationships with one another. As time passes, the enticing fantasies of porn drag one into the psychological traps of darker themes such as incest, rape, racial stereotypes, child porn etc. 

Though many studies and researches are yet to be conducted on the effects of porn and porn addiction, the report from the American Psychology Association provides us with a short insight into the topic. The annual traffic statistics of popular porn websites reported that an average Indian spent around eight minutes watching porn at a stretch. Another entrancing insight is that one-third of porn viewers are women and 48% are of the age group 18-24. Many consider porn as a private and harmless way through which people can enhance their sex life and relieve tension by releasing latent sexual energy. But watching porn regularly develops addictive behaviour resulting in an unhealthy lifestyle and broken relationships. The male-centric porn culture deceives its viewers into the devious mentality of objectifying women as mere sex tools to satisfy their urges. Porn drains love, respect and intimacy off a human being when he gets addicted to it and seeks for aggressive sex they’ve been exposed all their lives through porn. Lack of interest, sexual dissatisfaction, body image issues etc are a few among the list of relationship issues caused by porn addiction.

A revamping of the sex education imparted in schools by experts along with medical professionals, school managements and parents is essential to reduce the negative impacts of porn on teenagers to an extend. In addition to biology, sex education should consider the socio-psychological factors to ensure the eradication of taboo and reticence that persists regarding the topic. Setting a clear cut distinction between fact and fiction is necessary to prevent our children from having damaging unrealistic sexual fantasies. It is a natural instinct of teenagers to explore their sexuality and have sexual curiosity. Instead of blaming them for their sexual inclination and muffling the discussions regarding sex, timely guidance is what our society should provide our teenagers with.

Porn is a multi-billion dollar industry spread across the web which makes it nearly impossible to reduce or cut off the exposure to it. It’s just like any other commercial movie industry, a definite work of fiction with actors and directors producing contents for a targeted audience. One should realize that what porn showcases are an exaggerated product which is far from reality and attempts to imitate it in real life will result in issues with confidence and self-esteem. While you might learn a thing or two from watching porn or reading a sexy book, it shouldn’t be considered an alternative to sex education. A doctor or sex therapist should be the ones to be approached to clarify your queries rather than porn sites.

Period Leaves: Necessity For A Faction

Zomato, a restaurant aggregator and food delivery company, has been dominating the headlines of the tabloids since August. The reason? A landmark decision of introducing ‘period leaves’ for their women and transgender employees. On an annual basis, 10 leaves can be availed under this category. Regardless to say, this has stirred a full blown debate on and off the screens.

Though most of the people on Twitter have expressed support and elation over this progressive move, a faction of people have opposed the whole idea. The most common arguments that one will hear from the ‘against’ camp are about how women managed these with their sick/casual leaves. Or how the employers would be less inclined to include more female staff in the workforce, or consider them for an important position. Or, how there is a scope for the female employees to abuse these leaves and get an easy way out of commitments. 

Managing periods with casual leaves is a very ungrounded argument, for the labour policies vary drastically across different Indian states.  Under the Shops and Establishment Act, an employee working in Maharashtra has no sick leaves per say, and can avail a paid leave of upto 5 days for every 60 working days. On the other hand, an individual working in Assam can avail 12 sick leaves annually and has 16 earned leaves after 12 months of continuous service. This shows the glaring irregularity in the leave policies, which makes it very difficult for female employees of various regions to take menstrual leaves. Corporate sector needs to consider this, and seriously! Meanwhile, the government needs to find a ubiquitous solution too. As, this affects a significant working population of the public and private sector. The Menstruation Benefit Bill, introduced by Ninong Ering, a MP of Arunachal Pradesh in 2017, though didn’t see the light of the day, opened up the large avenue for consideration for the government. Bihar government has set an example here, by availing leaves of two days per month categorized ‘for biological reason’ since 1992.

We, as a society, have a flawed understanding about menstruation. As a result, most of the men, and sometimes women, consciously or otherwise, fail to acknowledge that menstrual conditions are far from universal. Each female experiences different kinds of pain and/or discomfort during their menstruation phase. Individuals with medical conditions endometriosis,dysmenorrhea, PCOS etc. suffer the worst brunt. Sometimes, even the travel to work elevates the pain and makes it unbearable. And trying to justify the gender bias on the basis of biological processes is a matter of regressive judgement. Now, a question might be possessed, is it constitutional? Especially when our Constitution stresses on equality. The answer is an undebated yes. Article 42 of the Constitution mandates “provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief.” As a mid way solution, some companies have the provision of work from home, for those who have the desk jobs. This allows the female employees to work comfortably at their own convenience. Also, with the technological support available, attending meetings are also a possibility and in many companies, a reality. A bit of co-operation can go a long way for inclusivity of all the employees without any compromise on their health and well being. 

The naysayers made a special point regarding the field jobs, for it is more demanding and requires being in action all the time. Regarding this, journalist Barkha Dutt has argued how female employees have to work double hard in certain fields to prove their merit than their male counterparts. And the introduction of ‘period leave’ might leave them with an obvious disadvantage. While this is a valid concern and hence needs further discussion and deliberation, the moot point boils down to how this leave is an OPTION for those who are in dire need of it, and hence does not account for the blatant generalization that is being made.

At present, open conversation and sensitization about menstruation is a requirement. Because, the stigma attached with the leave prevents many women from availing it. With the taboo about menstruation in India, many women actually choose pain over the shame and embarrassment! The de-stigmatisation also creates an understanding and sense of empathy in the male counterparts. At the very least, individuals availing the leave deserve a ‘benefit of doubt’. Also, not everyone has the same pain threshold, so it is upon the females alone to decide if the pain is overbearing enough to avail the leaves. 

It is high time that menstruation is viewed just as a biological process, shedding all the social taboos attached to it. Then only, proper and inclusive discussions can be held regarding the validity of these leaves, where women from all spheres of economic development have their contribution.

Website referred:

https://paycheck.in/labour-law-india/leave-and-holidays/state-wise-leave-provision