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Isn't the cycle a luxury, from tampon tax to marginalization, menstruation still taboo? - Lifestyle

2021-03-17T09:28:33.993Z


(HANDLE) It accompanies the life of every woman from the menarche (the first menstruation) onwards. But the menstrual cycle is still almost a taboo and often women of all ages, including teenagers, do not feel understood and suffer discrimination. From the tampon tax, from the rumors about the 'menstrual cycle' to the infinite periphrases to name them: menstruation has always been a taboo, surrounded by po


It accompanies the life of every woman from the menarche (the first menstruation) onwards.

But the menstrual cycle is still almost a taboo and often women of all ages, including teenagers, do not feel understood and suffer discrimination.

From the tampon tax, from the rumors about the 'menstrual cycle' to the infinite periphrases to name them: menstruation has always been a taboo, surrounded by popular legends of all kinds, symbols and sources of marginalization die hard.


For some time, there has been talk of reducing VAT on the price of tampons and on all female sanitary products and bringing it to 4%, abolishing the so-called tampon tax for which a petition on Change.org was launched by the Onde Rosa association. it has collected about 500 thousand signatures because "the cycle is not a luxury". At the moment, however, in Italy the rate in force remains that applied to luxury goods, equal to 22%.


The issue is not only Italian, it started from Scotland with the deputy Monica Lennon (voted unanimously now the distribution of free sanitary pads to students in schools and universities is also law) has already produced results in France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands , Canada, New York State and New Zealand.


Taboos resist: from the fear of red, of stained trousers, of the absorbent that should not be seen under clothes and, a phenomenon that is rarely talked about but which is rampant, of not wanting to slow down the pace at work or in sport in days of the cycle, when painful. How often do you stay at home with a severe headache? And how many times for a sore period? Many women do not feel they deserve rest in the face of abdominal pains and cramps that indicate a phase in their precious ability to generate life, a detail that is not of little value. This is followed by misconceptions (male but also of many women) that correlate the menstrual cycle to female nervousness and irritability.


“Menstruation affects more than half of the Earth's population and the reproduction of the human species. It would be right to talk about it with pride, with respect. On the other hand, menstrual blood embodied, more than anything else, the opinion that we are dirty and impure, - explains Serena Maiorana, professor of publishing from a gender perspective at the master conceived by the independent publishing house Maiori, with the patronage of the University of Catania. “It is a millennial taboo engraved in mythology, religion, science. It has created and has repercussions on the health, well-being and even self-esteem of women all over the world ”. Maiorana is the editor of the new book 'They are back. Tales of menstruation and other taboos', a choral essay written by thirteen women just published by Maiori Edizioni, a small independent publisher. The proceeds of the essay will be entirely donated to the Thamaia Anti-Violence Center in Catania.


Ancient taboos as Maiorana recounts: "When I was young, with menstruation I could not participate in the homemade preparation of tomato preserves because it was said, and it is still said today in some countries of the peninsula, that they would make the sauce acid, - he remembers and explains how the book was written to address the broader theme of discrimination and violence suffered by women in a new, even ironic and light-hearted way. "To be contrasted with awareness campaigns against violence against women who show women full of bruises", explains the author.


Discrimination of women also involves menstruation and even the taxation of sanitary pads and the (higher) prices of everything that women need. “When the business is aimed at women, it is bowed and with a clever marketing operation it is tinged with pink. Not just sanitary pads, let's think about hair removal blades designed for women. However, make-up is accompanied by higher prices than the same products dedicated to men, - explained Ornella Arena, one of the authors of the book for Maiori.


"Letting the menstrual cycle remain a taboo is not a trivial thing, it is a piece of a much larger mosaic that indicates the great discrimination suffered by women who, first of all, because of these taboos that strike them, tend to neglect themselves, - explains Graziella Priulla, sociologist, essayist and author of 'There is a difference. Gender Identity and Languages' dedicated to gender education for high schools. “We did a survey in Catania - Priulla points out - asking many women if they knew where the Ikea-type department stores or the supermarkets were. They all knew it. We repeated the experiment asking them where the counseling centers or anti-violence centers were and they didn't know it ”.


How is such a system undermined? Mothers of young girls struggling with pubertal development are advised not to repeat known educational records based on taboos or the unspoken. Talking instead of the female reproductive system, of one's body, of the changes that hormonal development involves and listening to the signals that the body gives us during the phases that are repeated monthly is the first step. Do the same with sons, psychologists and gynecologists advise.


'Let's get our menstruation back' is the motto of many women who want to get rid of taboos. Small further steps forward can be seen by the young Gen Z who are committed to the environmentalist front and who, instead of consuming sanitary pads made with polluting components, are choosing washable cups. A courageous and emblematic action of the choices made personally.

Source: ansa

All life articles on 2021-03-17

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