Men, let’s talk period please!

“We should all be feminists.’ Wait. Let me explain. When Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian novelist, non-fiction writer, spoke these words during her 2012 TEDx talk, I’m not sure if even she could have understood, at the time, just how profound they would prove to be. I am of the firm belief that when both men and women learn and understand the real-life implications of a Woman’s Menstrual Health Cycle, it directly translates into improved financial and overall quality of life in a family unit and by virtue, the entire community.

As we commemorate this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day, it is important to understand that we cannot afford to remain complacent about how this affects almost half of the world’s population.

A woman’s body is the portal to life. Women did not choose to be “Womb-carriers.” Just like men, we came into the world and got assigned a physical and biological role in life – the responsibility to bring life into being. No matter how you look at it, that is miraculous and magical stuff.

It does come with some very serious drawbacks, however, because while menstruation is a normal part of life for women, and signals fertility, the hormones associated with this cycle play a significant role in how all women function as they affect mood, energy levels, appetite, health and physical appearance.

According to the World Bank, an estimated 500 million people worldwide lack access to basic menstrual products and hygienic bathroom facilities for use during their menstrual cycle. It is the lack of access that Is known as “period poverty”.

In Nigeria, according to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, 37 million women and girls of reproductive age in Nigeria lack access to menstrual hygiene products due to a lack of funds, as of 2021. This means that almost half of all women and girls in Nigeria are affected financially, not to mention the lack of access to basic bathroom facilities and education around their own menstrual cycle.

This cycle starts for the girl child sometimes as early as 10 years old and signals biologically that human is fertile and can conceive a child. However, because this is so complex a thing to do (miracle, remember) it involves the interaction of a lot of hormones, which can cause depressed moods, fatigue, physical stomach cramps, headaches, acne, diarrhea or constipation, and all forms of physical ailments that vary in intensity from woman to woman.

It means that a little care and consideration needs to be had for when a woman might be experiencing symptoms. Providing medication, time off, reduced workload allowances and general care to women during these “Periods” enhances the relationship women have with their carers. It boosts interpersonal relationships, which studies have shown have a strong impact on family and work life.

The thing is most men and women are period poor and receive little to no education about the impact of this fundamental aspect of life, on the world whole community. Think about it: Starting from as early as 10 years old sometimes, a girl or woman will start to bleed once a month. But no one tells this to the girl child or to her male siblings/counterpart.

Why would we not share this early? Instead, when the bleeding comes what most people are told is “Now, you can get pregnant;” you are constantly told that, “You’re stained” when a period product fails (which happens), you are hidden and told it’s not polite to discuss it outside. One is shamed. This behaviour has led to stigmatisation: the belief that menstruation is dirty or unclean, that it is a taboo subject not spoken of outside. The stigma surrounding menstruation has real negative consequences like poor menstrual hygiene, school absenteeism, employment discrimination and sometimes, even violence against women. We cannot continue to function this way. We must give care to women and educate everyone, advocate for a change in policies and change the way we talk about menstruation.

Understanding a woman’s cycle means understanding a woman’s body better and identifying any potential problems. It means knowing when energy levels will be high and therefore when work output is maximum. It means a woman knowing when she will be at her sexual peak for that month: I’m talking shiny skin, extra curve to her curves, emitting max sex appeal. Perfect for wanting to plan or avoid conceiving a child.

For an employer, in order to maximise productivity in the workplace, providing accommodations in the office policy for female employees during their menstrual cycle can help to improve their productivity.

For this World Menstrual Hygiene day, there are a few things we need to commit to: “Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2023,” and this is how.