Photo by Forest Simon on Unsplash
The thing that takes up most of humanity’s time is food – food preparation (planting, growing, harvesting, transportation, finding, shopping, preparing, cooking, eating, cleaning up). It takes a lot of effort to keep our bodies in the calories to keep them moving. Thanks to modern technology, food preparation has been concentrated to specializations like farmer, grocers, and cooks, leaving time for other things and other specializations. But outside of sleeping, food still eats up a lot of our time.
Sleeping (preparation, recovery, doing) takes up about a third of humanity’s time.
Food took nearly the entire non-sleeping time for most of humanity, except for raising the next generation, until recently.
You know what also impacts a significant amount of time for humanity? We never really talk about it. It is considered in most cultures even more taboo than defecation. In fact, I think it is hands down the most public “secret” of humanity. Period.
That’s right, menstruation. Strung together, it takes up around 7 years of a ovulating person’s life. Let’s say an average of THREE YEARS per human on the planet – that is about 4% of everyone’s times … or close to 10% of the ovulating person’s lifespan. Thank goodness the five or so days only happens once a month.
Hey, don’t turn away. This is Geeking Science, sociology style. Did you know that Menstruation is stigmatized all over the world? (unicef.org) With about half of all females at reproductive age – ONE QUARTER OF THE ENTIRE PLANET – to have it be a “secret” is beyond stupid, it’s dangerous.
It impacts female’s ability to attend school. When access to running water, or pads, or cleaning facilities is limited, teen girls often say home. Humanity is leaking skills when education and knowledge isn’t passed on, especially to those raising the next generation.
It impacts women’s ability to maintain jobs when health care isn’t available. Lord knows, my cycle had me cramping so bad I vomited every month for decades. Until I figured out just how to get the sugar levels AND the pain levels under control for the first three days, my natural cycle devastated my ability to function on the job. I didn’t have much in sick leave outside of managing my period. I can’t imagine what it would have been like without access running water, easy food, pain killers, and a job that allowed sick leave.
It impacts political decisions, dangerously so, when those making the decision are working without all the facts they need because of stigma and nearly willful ignorance.
We need to break the barriers of shame and misunderstanding.
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UNICEF issued Nine Key Facts on Menstruation because:
“At UNICEF, we envision a world where every girl can learn, play, and safeguard her own health without experiencing stress, shame, or unnecessary barriers to information or supplies during menstruation,” said Sanjay Wijesekera UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. “Meeting the hygiene needs of all adolescent girls is a fundamental issue of human rights, dignity, and public health.”
(One) TIME – On average a woman menstruates for about 7 years during their lifetime
(Two) EMOTIONS and EMOTIONAL SUPPORT – The first period can be met with either celebration, fear or concern. For every girl, this signifies an important transition to womanhood – a time when they would benefit from the support of family and friends.
(Three) UNDERSTANDING – Many girls do not have complete and accurate understanding of menstruation as a normal biological process. Educating girls before their first period — and, importantly, boys — on menstruation, builds their confidence, contributes to social solidarity and encourages healthy habits. Such information should be provided at home and at school.
(Four) HEALTH – Poor menstrual hygiene can pose physical health risks and has been linked to reproductive and urinary tract infections. Many girls and women have limited options for affordable menstrual materials. Providing access to private facilities with water and safer low-cost menstrual materials could reduce urogenital diseases.
(Five) SPECIAL NEEDS – Girls and women with disabilities and special needs face additional challenges with menstrual hygiene and are affected disproportionately with lack of access to toilets with water and materials to manage their period.
(Six) EMERGENCIES – Many women and girls do not have access to materials to manage their menstruation, especially in times of emergency — natural disasters and conflicts. In emergencies, UNICEF provides dignity kits to women and girls, which include sanitary pads, a flashlight and whistle for personal safety when using the toilet.
(Seven) SANITATION – Globally, 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation services and in Least Developed Countries only 27 per cent of the population has a handwashing facility with water and soap at home. Managing periods at home is a major challenge for women and adolescent girls who lack these basic facilities at home.
(Eight) EDUCATION – About half of the schools in low-income countries lack adequate drinking water, sanitation and hygiene crucial for girls and female teachers to manage their period. Inadequate facilities can affect girls’ experience at school, causing them to miss school during their period. All schools should provide running water, safe and clean toilets for adolescent girls. (And like many things specifically created to benefit one group of people, benefits all – Running water is necessary to the general health and safety of all students and teachers.)
(Nine) TABOOS – UNICEF is working with local communities, schools and governments to research and provide information about menstruation, promote positive hygiene habits and break down taboos. UNICEF also provides adequate facilities and supplies, including toilets, soap, and water to schools in some of the poorest regions.
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Can you imagine living in a culture without heat, but because of taboos, you have to sleep alone while menstruating? The cramping can affect the body’s ability to control heat, making both the cold and cramping even worse.
I’m glad UNICEF is making it a priority to provide “dignity kits” during emergencies. Displaced women do not need to worry about the mess while escaping wildfires, earthquakes, and mudslides. Cleaning and disposal of the blood-rich sanitary protection materials is essential to reduce infections and disease, especially in situations such as natural emergencies. And knowledge of how long one can use a pad or tampon is necessary to avoid toxic shock syndrome (Cleveland Clinic), both in young girls, and those taking care of injured women during an evacuation needs to be shared far and wide.
With a quarter of humanity experiencing “the cycle”, education, materials, and sanitation measures are necessary. It’s not a “special” or “secret” thing. It’s a biological fact as much as sleeping and eating.
Bibliography
Cleveland Clinic – health essentials. “What Happens if You Leave a Tampon in Too Long?” 9 September 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-if-you-leave-a-tampon-in-too-long/ – last viewed 8 November 2023.
House, Sarah, Therese Mahon and Sue Cavill. “Menstrual hygiene matters: A resource for improving menstrual hygiene around the world.” – last viewed 8 November 2023 (this is a 354-page PDF.) (Note: PDF seems to be down as of 4/28/2024)
natracare. “15 Period questions teenage boys want answered.” https://www.natracare.com/blog/15-period-questions-teenage-boys-have/ – last viewed 8 November 2023.
UNICEF.org. “FAST FACTS: Nine things you didn’t know about menstruation.” 25 May 2018. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/fast-facts-nine-things-you-didnt-know-about-menstruation – last viewed 8 November 2023.