" Natural is normal"
To be honest I didn’t like having a period till the first two years of my life. I hated how I was isolated from the kitchen, puja, and different celebrations that I looked forward to. I still remember that day when I cursed myself for being a girl and hated myself for bleeding.
One fine day, I had my period during the festival of Tihar. I felt sad that I will be missing such a wonderful celebration of colors, music, and sweets. The very day was the day of playing deusi bhailo. Initially, I decided that I would not tell my parents. However, I ended up telling my parents about my period. Later on, in the evening everyone went out for deusi bhailo but I was alone. It was not as if I was left alone, it was because I chose to be left out. There were lights and excitement in the surrounding with dance, songs and my friends were boasting about how big the firework was. I could hear the sound, laughter from people enjoying deusi bhailo and feel their joy from the celebration. But I couldn’t experience it why because I was bleeding and it’s not normal in our culture for a menstruating girl to enjoy these festivals. I hated the societal norms for taking away my happiness. I realized the prejudice of our religion and felt I was discriminated for being born as female.
Periods are normal and natural process that continues the life in this world. But the stigmas surrounding us always make menstruation embarrassing and shameful. These different stigmas stop girls to live their life to the fullest. Slowly with the change in time, these stigmas are disappearing, and I hope someday menstruating girls will also be able to celebrate the festivals normally. I don’t want any of the girls to be left out like me due to stigmas.
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