We, all women have vagina and it stinks

'Lonely', 'No one understands me', what she used to update as her Facebook status every month. She is one of my grade ten students. She is only 16, the age when one enjoys with friends, loves to roam around and have fun. When this status of loneliness became frequent, I thought to ask her. First she hesitated then she shared her actual reason of isolation. What she revealed, unveiled the truth not only of her classroom but of our whole society.

Figure adapted from http://us.mysimplefile.com/

The secret behind her solitude was none other than the monthly gift; we all women receive from nature mother. Every month, we women, soak up our pads with crimson. How much we try to manage it, let me be genuine and say how much we try to hide it, one way or the other, we get noticed. It may leak from our undergarments or even if somehow we are successful to soak it up wholly, our exhausted face may reveal it. As careful as we may be keeping in all evidences of our period hidden, sometimes we need a little extra help keeping the smell under control as well.

She had the similar problem because of which she was forced to live in isolation. Leave the boys even the girls were boycotting her.  I tried to ease her and said it's normal." Even I stink during my period, so we need to take care of ourselves properly. Change our pads on time." She interrupted me and said, it's impossible because they have the opinion that you can't carry pads in your bags. If anyone sees it, it will be the matter of joke. Everyone starts to laugh at you because you carry that. That was the reason every girls would come and ask pads with me whenever they were menstruating as they think carrying it themselves is a crime. And they think I can carry it as I am not from their village and I am rebellious one, so I carry it.

"Rebellious." What is there to be rebellious about when you are simply carrying a sanitary pad? My head asked for the answer. But that wasn't much important at that moment.

I just tried to make her understand that it's not about being rebellious or going against society carrying a simple white thing; it's for our health. I tried to make clear." Menstrual flow itself does not smell bad, but bacteria within menstrual flow can cause odor. Some menstrual products improve conditions for bacteria and contain chemicals that effect healthy bacterial levels, so choosing healthier options can lessen odor as well as keep your vagina healthy. So if we want to be healthy and be away from all those problems, we need to change our pads frequently for which we must carry it."  But all my words and consolations weren't doing any magic. From her constant denial, I realized how much she has gone through. For all these years after her menstruation, she has suffered loneliness.

Under Nepal's ancient practice of Chhaupadi numerous women, especially those who live in rural areas, are forced by custom to isolate away from their homes, life and family during each monthly menstrual cycle. Menstruation is considered as a sin. I have never been to those villages where women face that torture, also I have never faced any restrictions in my home, may be because of my parents, especially my father who doesn't believe in these restrictions. So I could never relate to these but when she, a resident of the sub-urban society expressed it, where all the information can be conveyed easily and where buying pads isn't so difficult, my mind started joggling.

Why is menstruation considered dirty? Is a menstruating girl really a powerful, polluting thing? Is she really a thing to be isolated?

A small chat with her made me brainstorm on these things. With some few consoling words, I left her. I know things aren't going to change so easily. I went inside the class and again shared that menstruation is a natural process. So it's not good to isolate anyone just because she is in her periods, which I have kept on saying continuously. I know not only me; other teachers too teach them these things. They even have a chapter on it. Then, why it's not working?

The reality is, actually I wanted to say in the classroom, "Don't tease her. Do you tease your mom or your sister for menstruating? No. We all are same. It's natural. We, all women have vagina and it bleeds. Not only it bleeds, it even stinks." Though my students call me rebellious, I couldn't shout and say these lines. May be inside I also have been influenced by the Nepali society and somewhere deep inside I am afraid of its taboos.