America
Indian-origin woman ignites global awareness on menstruation
By
Kavita Bajeli-DattNew Delhi, Aug 20
S) She has become an Internet
sensation after completing the London marathon sans any sanitary
protection during period in a bid to end the stigma on menstruation.
Indian-origin Kiran Gandhi, a Harvard Business School graduate and a
professional drummer, said the silence about the subject has to end, and
she was happy to have started“a global conversation online†on
periods.
Born to Wall Street investment banker Vikram Gandhi and
social activist Meera Gandhi, she said that after her “free bledâ€
episode went viral, she received letters from diverse countries
including Iran, India, Pakistan and Croatia.
In an e-mail
interview with IANS, Gandhi, 26, who has toured globally as a drummer
with M.I.A and Thievery Corp and has been profiled widely by media for
juggling her busy student life with the hectic schedule of a musician,
said the world is now talking about periods and how women face the pain
in silence.
Asked whether she was able to raise awareness about
the issue, she said: “(It has) started a global conversation online
that I never could have expected. Just yesterday a brave young woman
emailed me a screenshot of her on Whatsapp. It was between her and her
trainer, in India. She said that for many years she never told her
trainer why she misses certain days of working out each month but
finally, because of this conversation, had the courage to say it was
because of her period.â€
Gandhi said the woman’s trainer created
a plan that wouldn’t be as painful or uncomfortable for her so that
she could still come in and train.
“Imagine, that stigma
prevents something as simple as women being able to have honest
conversations with their coaches, about something natural.â€
Gandhi,
who was preparing for the London marathon for over a year, got her
period a day before the event. She had two options - to opt out of the
first 26.2-mile race or run and let it flow.
She chose the second
option. She ran the 41.195 km alongside two of her closest friends,
completing the course in 4 hours 49 minutes, with her running pink pants
stained.
“I have received letters from women in Iran, fathers from India, fellow marathoners, young girls from Pakistan to Croatia.
“I
believe that women constantly have to prioritize the comfort of others
around them at their own expense. In this case, it felt most comfortable
for me to run without anything that might chafe or hurt me.
“I
knew that by the very nature of a marathon course, I could actually
liberate myself from this type of oppression. That on a marathon course,
I didn’t have to think about how I looked or what people thought of
me. That no one can tell you anything if you’ve just run a marathon.
The respect of running a marathon speaks first and foremost for
itself.â€
She now wants to continue “speaking to intelligent
and forward thinking people†and the media about the issue as often as
possible to raise awareness.
Most hailed her bold act but there were some who slammed her, calling the move "disgusting" and "unhygienic".
To her, such reactions, only further solidified that people are “deeply uncomfortable with a natural and normal process.
“I
didn’t need to be the one to respond to these opinions, women’s and
men’s voices chimed in from all around the globe to respond to these
feelings of disgust. And the very fact that doctors have already
debunked the myths around my run just goes to show how taboo and silence
prevents real education and awareness about menstrual health to
permeate,†Gandhi told IANS.
She said she was aware that in
India many girls and young women use unhygienic sanitary pads or dirty
cloth, but was proud that two NGOs, She Innovates and Saathi Pads, whose
founders went to Harvard Business School like her, are doing tremendous
work.
Gandhi, who has famous parents working in the social
sector, said it was heartening for her when she got tremendous support
from her family.
Asked about the reaction of her family, she said: “Of utmost support, intelligence and joy.
“They
understood that this act has nothing to do with a girl running a
marathon and everything to do with a global problem that needs to be
addressed. And having them behind me has been exactly the kind of
strength I’ve needed to move forward and do my best work.
“My
mom started The Giving Back Foundation which focuses primarily on
women’s and girls issues. My father started Asha Impact Investing which
supports microfinance in India.
“Both of my parents raised my
brother and sister to be socially conscious and especially aware of
womenÂ’s issues,†Gandhi said.
(Kavita Bajeli-Datt can be reached at [email protected])