During the filming they show how these females are ashamed about their own menstrual cycles. There are even looked at differently for wanting to generating a low-cost pad machine to not only benefit women to have a sanitary product, but as well as create somewhat of an economy. Men disregard anything about women’s bodies as well as characteristics and the necessities that women need. The film demonstrates how women do not have the right feminine products to deal with their menstrual cycle, the women also little knowledge to it which causes what society says about periods more believable.
In Indian culture, the people of the society look at menstrual cycles as a sickness or a disease, not something that is natural to women. Where in other societies like the United States, a menstrual cycle is a gift from god, it is what makes a girl into a woman. The film is a relatively short film but covers a lot of great points, at the beginning of the film it shows them interviewing two teenage girls. During the interview they asked these girls questions about their menstrual cycle. They were so embarrassed and laughed while shying away from the question of the interviews and was not able to answer all of it. The women in the culture have to put their feelings and irritation about their period to the back burner and keep it as much of it as a secret from the society.
Which is hard since they do not have the right products to help hide it. Males throughout the society are extremely judgmental and have very little knowledge about such things that it is embarrassing for the women when guys know and the men look down upon a woman. Not only that, but during the film one of the older ladies in the society, and the one interviewed that was about 60 years old explains during her interview that a period is called dirty blood, to the Indian culture the menstrual cycle is mysterterious illness to them and they do not know what causes it and so the blood is dirty. During the film it also demonstrate how the women do not have the right type of feminine products to deal with a period, nor do they have the correct mean to dispose of them or do they really know how to dispose of the cloth they use instead of the pad.
They show how the women throw them in a field and the dogs end up dragging back up. Even the people that have access to pads, do not use them because of the embarrassment of buying it. When the women go to the store, the store clerk or the people that work there even have to wrap them, so no one can see them. During the film they show the pad machine being brought and taught to how it is used to make a pad. The women were not just excited to learn and try these products, but as well as scared to what everyone will think about it. So they even lied to say they were making diapers for children and not pads. It then shows the beginning process of them making the pads, as well as the first day of these women going around to women and door to door giving them knowledge and selling the pads. These women working making these pads, genuinely enjoy it because it is their first job. They think this will also be an entryway to women working other jobs.
As a woman, having a cycle can be enough to deal with already, but in their life having a menstrual cycle is very frustrating and hard, and in their society they do not make it easier. This film demonstrates how it feels to be Indian female with a menstrual cycle in their community and how it can be both difficult and embarrassing to them. Either way, most females if people knew they were on their cycle are told not to enter temples, not touch stuff, not go to other certain locations. Most people will know if a woman is on their cycle because they usually have the blood stains from not having the right type of products. Temples and other religious sites on her cycle are off limits for an Indian woman on their cycle because they are not like by god at that time. When going into a store the chances that an owner wrap stuff in a newspaper especially when women are buying pads at the local store. They do this so that their period will remain private, not to be carried out or seen in the open. So many women do not go a get pads if they are available.
The big picture for indian society is that a period is believed to be cursed and women get shamed for it. The women are to hide it and keep it a secret at all cost, because a period makes a women look unclean and displeasing to men. Even though societies are changing and we have progress it areas like these it is still a topic they don’t like to speak upon or know about. During the fim they interviewed a women that even dropped out of school because of her period. She was not able to manage and hide her period. It was not possible to change clothes and make a homemade pad while miles away from home during school hours. Not only was having the supplies the problem, when she was finished with whatever clothes she had no where to dispose of it. Luckily this woman ended up working and helping make the pads and distribute them so other women and girls do not go through what she had to deal with, as well as actually earning some money which is not common for women in their society.
It is rather sad that in some societies things such as a period is a topic that is not spoken about. It is sad that the society is a patriarchy that the women felt the need to lie about the small business of the pad machine they got. They lied because they did not want to risk success or being judged by the men in the society. The women literally waited until they had like 18,000 pads made and went around to other cities to sell and sold them all before explaining to the males what they were doing. It is unbelievable that women and girl are not allowed in temples while on their period, and part of the reason is because apparently their prayers will not be heard.
Even though the women do not like how a period, as well as women themselves are so easily shamed. They see and are aware of the patriarchy and the biased knowledge of women in the society and they never have tried to change it until now. Hopefully as a society these small steps taken by these women will help move women up the social ladder. As well as give them, but as well as men more knowledge about women’s bodies and needs. Many of the men in their society know little to nothing about a period, and that is a major part of a woman’s life. Not only do women already feel embarrassed, then men not knowing a shming make it worse for them.
There are a lot of other societies that speaking about women periods and physical characteristics is unheard of or uncommon. The fact that in the film it demonstrates how societies like this many women ashamed and embarrassed of what is natural for women to go through and have. Publicizing biology information not only about women, but as well as men helps a society know more about one’s gender. Not knowing information over something as simple as a period, has made a period in their society and shameful thing. Women can not prevent having a period, it is part of the characteristics of the women and their gender. From the lack of knowing about other gender and what their natural body function, it has created a problem has made women feel ashamed and dirty. They can not even go pray on their period because a god will not answer to them. This documentary does a good job, in a short film of how their needs to be more knowledge about women and how different women have different struggles, such as how they do not have as simple access to pads and menstrual supplies.
