That time of the Month. The Red Wedding. Shark Week. Aunt Flo. Chums. There are so many names used to suggest when a female is on her period. Sometimes, the names are used as an internal joke amongst those who menstruate. Other times, they are used in hush-hush tones, in embarrassment. The usage depends on the kind of situation and the persons involved in discussing it. In the Tamil culture, the first period is often celebrated. Friends and family are gathered to witness the coming of age of a girl that she is now ripe and ready to begin a family.
But, as soon as, a phenomenon like this becomes the talk of the town, oftentimes, people forget the person who was supposed to be celebrated in the 1st place. As a result, celebrating maadavidai, is reduced to a mere ritual. So much so, that even in schools where sex education should be imparted, girls and boys are taken to separate rooms where red-faced teachers rush them through the basic information without even checking its credibility. So what effect does all this have on us? How does it shape our conversations around gender? How do people of different sexes find a way to support each other in all this? Subhalakshmi discusses all this and more with a fellow sufferer. Tune in now!
12 Episodes