Menstrual taboo
Encyclopedia
A Menstrual taboo is any social taboo
concerned with menstruation
. In some societies it involves menstruation being perceived as unclean or embarrassing, extending even to the mention of menstruation both in public (in the media and advertising
) and in private (amongst friends, in the household, and with men).
Different cultures view menstruation differently. Studies have shown nearly all girls in the USA believe that girls should not talk about menstruation with boys, and more than one-third of the girls did not believe that it was appropriate to discuss menstruation with their fathers. The basis of many conduct norms and communication about menstruation in western industrial societies is the belief that menstruation should remain hidden.
In other societies certain menstrual taboos may be practised without the connotation of uncleanness. According to the anthropologists Buckley and Gottlieb cross-cultural study shows that, while taboos about menstruation are nearly universal, a wide range of distinct rules for conduct during menstruation "bespeak quite different, even opposite, purposes and meanings" with meanings that are "ambiguous and often multivalent".
, in the fifteenth chapter of Leviticus
, verses nineteen through thirty, describes how a menstruating woman is to be regarded as ritually unclean. The taboo is so great that not only the woman herself suffers uncleanness, but even "anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening" (New International Version
). Some scholars believe that the Christian teachings of this Taboo has fueled the prohibition of women as priests in the Catholic Church. They cite that church law has maintained this prohibition due to "ritual uncleanness."
In Islam, a woman is not allowed to offer prayer or to perform other religious activities like Fasting or circumambulating the Kaaba etc. Sexual intercourse with the husband is strictly prohibited during menstrual periods. However, she can perform all other acts of social life as normal. According to authentic traditions, Prophet Muhammad encouraged menstruating women to come to be present at festive religious services for the two Eid holidays even though they were excused from praying.
http://onlineslangdictionary.com/thesaurus/words+meaning+menstruation+(related+to).html
In the movie Carrie, the title character has her first period
in the school gym shower, and the other girls tease her by throwing tampon
s and sanitary pads
at her. The gym teacher, Miss Collins
tries to calm Carrie down, and eventually must explain the concept of menstruation to Carrie (because Carrie's mother had never done so).
, Uta Pippig
, the first woman to cross the finish line, had visible menstrual blood and severe menstrual cramps. Commentators on radio and TV were, uncharacteristically, tongue-tied. ... "Physical problems and diarrhea," said some commentators. Others stopped at the phrase "physical problems", ... or "stomach pain" Eileen McNamara's Boston Globe article that said she "bled all the way from Hopkinton to Boston" was subject to mass criticism.
. The primary argument behind this movement is that if menstruation is normal, there is no reason why the topic should be avoided: "After a while it becomes psychologically disorienting for women to look out at a world where their reality doesn't exist."
, as a positive aspect of a girl's life. In South India and also in the Assamese community, girls who experience their menstrual period for the first time are given presents and celebrations to mark this special occasion, though women who are menstruating are not allowed in the household for a period of 3 nights.
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
concerned with menstruation
Menstruation
Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
. In some societies it involves menstruation being perceived as unclean or embarrassing, extending even to the mention of menstruation both in public (in the media and advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
) and in private (amongst friends, in the household, and with men).
Different cultures view menstruation differently. Studies have shown nearly all girls in the USA believe that girls should not talk about menstruation with boys, and more than one-third of the girls did not believe that it was appropriate to discuss menstruation with their fathers. The basis of many conduct norms and communication about menstruation in western industrial societies is the belief that menstruation should remain hidden.
In other societies certain menstrual taboos may be practised without the connotation of uncleanness. According to the anthropologists Buckley and Gottlieb cross-cultural study shows that, while taboos about menstruation are nearly universal, a wide range of distinct rules for conduct during menstruation "bespeak quite different, even opposite, purposes and meanings" with meanings that are "ambiguous and often multivalent".
Taboo in Judaic religions
The BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, in the fifteenth chapter of Leviticus
Leviticus
The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....
, verses nineteen through thirty, describes how a menstruating woman is to be regarded as ritually unclean. The taboo is so great that not only the woman herself suffers uncleanness, but even "anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening" (New International Version
New International Version
The New International Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. Published by Zondervan in the United States and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, it has become one of the most popular modern translations in history.-History:...
). Some scholars believe that the Christian teachings of this Taboo has fueled the prohibition of women as priests in the Catholic Church. They cite that church law has maintained this prohibition due to "ritual uncleanness."
In Islam, a woman is not allowed to offer prayer or to perform other religious activities like Fasting or circumambulating the Kaaba etc. Sexual intercourse with the husband is strictly prohibited during menstrual periods. However, she can perform all other acts of social life as normal. According to authentic traditions, Prophet Muhammad encouraged menstruating women to come to be present at festive religious services for the two Eid holidays even though they were excused from praying.
In the USA
A substantial majority of U.S. adults and adolescents believe that it is socially unacceptable to discuss menstruation, especially in mixed company. Many believe that it is unacceptable to discuss menstruation even within the family.Advertising
One common way that even sanitary-product advertising avoids mentioning menstruation is by pouring a blue liquid on the sanitary item to demonstrate its absorptiveness. This shows the stigma surrounding the blood associated with menstruation. The invention of the tampon in may have been inspired by the taboo, as tampons are more "discreet." Further evidence of the taboo is the creation of a variety of euphemisms for menstruation, including "Aunt Flo", "on the rag" (vulgar), "my friend", or even "the curse."http://onlineslangdictionary.com/thesaurus/words+meaning+menstruation+(related+to).html
Films
Movies and television also reflect the taboo nature of menstruation. Typically menstruation as a topic is avoided, except for scenes involving menarche or "first period." For example, as Elizabeth Arveda Kissling explains in her article, "On the Rag on Screen: Menarche in Film and Television," the early 1990s movie, My Girl contains a scene where the main character, Vada, experiences her first period. The explanation given to her by a female role model of what is happening to her is done off camera and the subject is never mentioned again, save when Vada pushes Thomas across the porch telling him, "Don't come back for five to seven days."In the movie Carrie, the title character has her first period
Menarche
Menarche is the first menstrual cycle, or first menstrual bleeding, in female human beings. From both social and medical perspectives it is often considered the central event of female puberty, as it signals the possibility of fertility....
in the school gym shower, and the other girls tease her by throwing tampon
Tampon
A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodilyfluid. The most common type in daily use is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid...
s and sanitary pads
Sanitary napkin
A sanitary napkin, sanitary towel, sanitary pad, menstrual pad, maxi pad, or pad is an absorbent item worn by a woman while she is menstruating, recovering from vaginal surgery, for lochia , abortion, or any other situation where it is necessary to absorb a flow of blood from a woman's vagina.These...
at her. The gym teacher, Miss Collins
Rita Desjardin
Miss Rita L. Desjardin is a fictional character created by Stephen King for his horror novel Carrie. In the film versions, she was portrayed by Betty Buckley and Rena Sofer. She was portrayed in the musical by Darlene Love .-Novel:In the book, she at first feels the same disgust everyone feels...
tries to calm Carrie down, and eventually must explain the concept of menstruation to Carrie (because Carrie's mother had never done so).
Uta Pippig's 1996 Boston Marathon victory
In 1996, during the running of the 100th Boston MarathonBoston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, Uta Pippig
Uta Pippig
Uta Pippig is a female long-distance runner, and the first woman to win the Boston Marathon three consecutive times . She also won the Berlin Marathon three times , the New York City Marathon once , and she represented Germany in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics...
, the first woman to cross the finish line, had visible menstrual blood and severe menstrual cramps. Commentators on radio and TV were, uncharacteristically, tongue-tied. ... "Physical problems and diarrhea," said some commentators. Others stopped at the phrase "physical problems", ... or "stomach pain" Eileen McNamara's Boston Globe article that said she "bled all the way from Hopkinton to Boston" was subject to mass criticism.
Menstrual suppression
With the recent FDA approval of menstrual suppression medications, researchers have begun to shift their focus to the attitudes of American women toward their periods. One study in particular found that 59% of the women they surveyed reported an interest in not menstruating every month. Of these 1/3 said they were interested in not menstruating at all anymore.Activism
Overcoming this menstrual taboo is a point of contention amongst feministsFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
. The primary argument behind this movement is that if menstruation is normal, there is no reason why the topic should be avoided: "After a while it becomes psychologically disorienting for women to look out at a world where their reality doesn't exist."
India
In the Hindu faith, women are prohibited from participating in normal life while menstruating. She must be "purified" before she is allowed to return to her family, which has been presented as a negative view of menstruation. However in some respects Indians view menstruation, especially first menstruation or menarcheMenarche
Menarche is the first menstrual cycle, or first menstrual bleeding, in female human beings. From both social and medical perspectives it is often considered the central event of female puberty, as it signals the possibility of fertility....
, as a positive aspect of a girl's life. In South India and also in the Assamese community, girls who experience their menstrual period for the first time are given presents and celebrations to mark this special occasion, though women who are menstruating are not allowed in the household for a period of 3 nights.
External links
See also
- Culture and menstruationCulture and menstruationThe relationship between culture and menstruation is expressed in many ways. A variety of menstrual-related traditions exist. One group of authors has even theorized that menstruation may have played a key role in the development of symbolic culture in early human society.-Literature:Menstruation...
- Grandmother hypothesisGrandmother hypothesisThe grandmother hypothesis is a theory to explain why menopause, rare in mammal species, arose in human evolution and how a long post-fertile period could confer an evolutionary advantage....