THE PLAGUE OF EGYPT || MYRA TRUDEA OKUMU
By Myra Trudea Okumu
“Blood. To unleash the first plague upon the Egyptians, Moses struck the river Nile with his staff, turning its waters to blood. At the same time, his brother Aaron performed an identical transformation in the canals, tributaries, ponds and pools throughout Egypt.
Of the 10 plagues of Egypt, the turning of the water, and more specifically the Nile River, into blood remains my favorite wonder. Fresh water into blood. This brings us to this episode of Glimpse.
Menstruation.
Even better (in this case, worse), menstrual shame.
Menstruation is the monthly shedding of the lining of a womans uterus (more commonly known as the womb). Menstruation is also known by the terms menses, menstrual period, cycle or period. The menstrual bloodwhich is partly blood and partly tissue from the inside of the uterusflows from the uterus through the cervix and out of the body through the vagina.
In most parts of the world, menstruation remains a taboo issue in the community, surrounded by silence and shrouded in myths and misconceptions. Rather than simply being acknowledged as a natural bodily function, it is considered rude or embarrassing to discuss periods in some communities around the world. Yet, menstruation and menstrual hygiene are emerging as central issues for gender equality, human rights and development. Seen as an impurity, a burden, a curse or even a disease, menstrual blood is managed in secret and the pain experienced by women is dealt in silence and self-prescribed medication. When menstruating, women and girls are subjected to various religious, food-related, domestic or sexual prohibitions, menstruating women are considered to be bad luck or harmful to others for the duration of their period which has led to further isolation or stigmatization and lack of conversation on a topic about a natural phenomenon.
In most countries, Malawi is not an exception, menstruation is seen less as a rite of passage into womanhood. Women are told at an early age to hide themselves during menstruation with some cultures going as far as to perform fertility rituals and ceremonies such as fisi. Menstruating women are segregated from society and considered unclean and dirty. Now, because of the lack of conversation and openness about menstruation, young girls fall into unsafe practices and because of lack of understanding, fall pregnant or worse, contract diseases.
The lack of conversation is a pandemic on its own. Shaming women for what is natural is the result of religious beliefs that demean women, cultural beliefs that a woman’s body is abominable and the patriarchy in society shaming womanhood.
Menstrual shame was identified as a key patriarchal organizing principle that endangered the perception of female physiology and thus womanhood- as inherently flawed. The overwhelming message is one of menstrual suppression, secrecy and shame.
Menstruation is commonly seen as an unpredictable pathological process requiring surveillance and medical intervention. Perspective recognized the power imbalances, the patriarchal controls and structural inequities that serve to oppress women, even in their intimate body experiences.
SHAME
Synonyms: embarrassment, ignominy, indignity, disgrace, dishonor, degradation.
Shame, in this context, signifies a lack of acceptance of ones naturalness, an introjected guilt that erodes self confidence and leads to a sense of inadequacy, incompetence and indecisiveness. Consequences with which many menstruating women could identify.
Here is the plague of Egypt, a collection of different experience by different women, from those that were properly educated by those close to them to those who figured it out for themselves. Here is a glimpse into what happens when the Nile turns red.
Question: what do you understand by Menstrual shame?
“People expressing negative thoughts or attitudes towards menstruation.”
“Mistreated or rebuked for experiencing menstruation.”
“When one is in a situation where they are embarrassed about menstruation because they were once bullied or they just feel uncomfortable.”
“Being humiliated because of your period.”
“Having a negative perception on menstruation usually caused by others.”
“I’m guessing negative attitudes towards menstruation.”
“Perhaps starting our menses in public or being in denial that you are officially an adult which means no more being childish.”
“Being made to feel bad or awful for either having your menses or having not experienced them at all.”
“Negative things women go through, verbally or otherwise, simply because they menstruate.”
“Feeling embarrassed or have any negative feeling towards menstruation. It should just be regarded as a normal thing.”
“Failing to be comfortable during menstruation due to society and beliefs.”
Question: what are some of the cultural/religious practices that you have undergone or heard of?
“Chinamwali”
“Being locked in a room for a week and not being allowed to go out and not adding salt when you cook, not sure why.”
“When you have started your menses, you need to sleep with a man to prove that you are fertile.”
“Not shaking hands with men during menstruation. Not cooking during menstruation.”
Question: what are some of the negative things you have heard about menstruation?
“People can die from the pain”
“That its disgusting. It should not be openly discussed because it is weird, shameful ‘osakamba zimenezo pagulu’”
“it is disgusting thing that should be kept personal. It is disrespectful to even talk about challenges faced with men. Girls on their period are unattractive and generally not ‘fun’ to be around. Symptoms are mentally manifested. Periods are not an excuse for anything.”
“Menstruation pain increases as you grow.”
“That if you start your period at a much older age you are prone to being barren.”
“Its dirty”
“People use it in witchcraft.”
“its disgusting and we exaggerate other things that come with it like cramps.”
“women on their period are dirty.”
“its a curse we got through Eve for eating the forbidden fruit.”
“That boys arent supposed to know you’re menstruating, its embarrassing.”
“That it makes females unclean and unworthy of certain things.”
“You are impure when you’re menstruating
“the only way to stop it is to be having sex”
“If you take medication during your menses, it affects your cycle.”
Regarding something as natural as breathing to be a thing of shame is a shame in itself. Nice piece!
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