What is PMS? Is it still a mystery?

Now, let’s talk about how women deal with all these PMS symptoms. Women, just like men, go to work, go to school, go out, go on vacation, but when it is that time of the month these symptoms get in the way of their daily lives. To improve menstrual discomforts women: take pain reliever pills, adjust their diet, add one or two more of the dietary or herbal supplements, increase physical activity, take antidepressants, or natural remedies. Even though there are numerous ways in which women can improve their menstrual discomforts, emotional and behavioral signs of PMS still linger on. Usually, men notice these emotional and behavioral signs, and they think women use PMS as an excuse to make an argument or have unnecessary aggression. This judgement transpired long before the twenty-first century. 

In the nineteenth century, women demanded for social change especially to get a higher education, but there was always a question of what kind of character or behavior does a woman have? Even before the nineteenth century, men who were philosophers, novelists, poets, and authors have seen women to be different compared to their own gender. To be specific, men have thought women to be psychologically different; women have been discerned to be unstable and to be in a state of madness. Men have always been seen to be in a higher position than women, and this has grown the idea that women are ruled by their bodies and not their minds. For instance, women’s ovaries were seen as a dominant organ that influenced the mind and behaviour of women. Therefore, when women have PMS or are menstruating there is a stigma behind these natural experiences that are seen to make women unstable and mad. The taboo on menstruation doesn’t end here; there are several religious books and religious societies that continue to be premodern on this topic. To this day, these religious societies believe the natural female experience is impure.

Most of the menstrual taboos we know come from religious practices and holy books. The main reason menstruation is portrayed in a negative notion is because ‘period blood’ interferes with the relations between men and women. From then on, ‘period blood’ has been perceived negatively. Taboos were established to prevent contact with menstruating women. 

For example, menstruating women in the Judaism religion are called “niddah.” The Jewish Torah forbids any kind of physical or sexual intimacy with a women who is menstruating. “Niddah” continues to be a name for menstruating women until she washes herself clean in a ritual bath- mikvah. In some instances, Judaism prohibits interaction between men and women that are minor such as passing things to each other. Similarly to Judaism, Christianity follows the rules written in the Holiness Code section of Leviticus. In the Bible, which numerous amounts of people follow, further unfolds in detail the impurity that is placed onto menstruation as it states: “…in her menstrual impurity; she is unclean…whoever touches…shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening’ Leviticus 15.”

In Islam, menstruating women are not allowed to pray until after their period is over and they bathe (ghusl) before prayer, which is also required to do after sex. In the Quran there is a verse that clearly states women are seen as unclean while on their menstruation: “‘go apart from women during the monthly course, do not approach them until they are clean’ Quran 2:222.” During this time of the month, Muslim women are forbidden to fast, to participate in the five daily prayers, to read from the Quran, and to go to a mosque while menstruating. 

Even though in Buddhism menstruation is perceived as a natural experience, menstruating women are prohibited from going to temples. On the contrary, Nichiren Buddhism (Japan) does not see menstruation as an interference with religious practice. There are many rules women need to follow in Hinduism. Traditionally women are instructed not to cook, enter a temple, touch others, wear flowers, have intimacy, or “come into contact with any creative energies to ensure free flow of Apana. These rules are given to women for them to only focus on their physical health. Menstruation is considered to be “a natural God-given holiday to women once in a month.”

Since 1991 there has been a restricted entry to the Kerala High Court to Sabarimala Shrine women between the ages of 10-50 because they were likely to menstruate. As of September 2018, the restriction was lifted by the Supreme Court of India because discriminating against women on any basis is unconstitutional. 

The reason why religion holds an important role in this article is because of the mass amount of people who are part of a religion. Statistics show that in 2010 there were 2.17 billion Christians, 1.6 billion Muslims, and 1.03 billion Hindus. It makes up 69% of the world’s population. The taboos that originate from these religions impact many women, and it is unfortunate that women are viewed less than men when they are on their period (natural cycle) When women carry around their menstruation products they turn to hide them because they feel ashamed, and it isn’t a normalized topic. It is destructive to women when societies still believe in ancient rulings, and premodern beliefs of PMS or menstruation. 

To conclude the wrongful ideas from premodern times, here is part of the first Latin encyclopedia (73 AD). It states if a woman is menstruating, it is best to keep away from them because their blood is seen as a poison: “contact with [menstrual blood] turns new wine sour, crops touched by it become barren…even bronze and iron are at once sized by rust, and a horrible smell fills the air; to taste it drives dogs mad and infects their bites with an incurable poison.”

The reason why menstruating women have always been avoided is because of the lack of science back then.The faith of religion has decreased as science has proven that some religious practices are based on ancient rulings. It should be understood that it is wrong to have women feel ashamed of what is natural. Menstruation is not something a woman has a choice to have, but a natural thing. There is enough science that proves that the blood coming out of a woman’s body is how it gets rid of the unfertilized eggs in the ovaries. If women aren’t able to get rid of these eggs naturally in the process of menstruation, then that means their health is in danger. It is actually an exceptional thing for women to have their period because it helps get rid of: disintegrated endometrial tissue, vaginal secretions, cervical mucus, and unfertilized eggs with the blood. In other words, women who have signs of PMS are healthy, and science proves menstruation is a natural thing that allows women to bring a new life into the world. 

Women are blessed to experience a tough cycle that results in creating another being, but with traditions, notions, and practices it’s difficult for women to view the changes of their bodies in a positive way. Women feel ashamed, embarrassed and secluded in societies where rules are placed around menstruation. Women need to be given the most attention when it comes to menstruation, and I don’t just mean at home or in public, but in research too. If men were the ones to be blessed with menstruation, would it be different for them? 

The truth is vital information regarding women is concealed from the public or there isn’t much attention put upon it.The world is apparently ruled by men. Traditions, notions and practices are in favor of the male population. If women were given the chance to have the same opportunities as men imagine how far we could’ve been in science, art, technology, and so on. Maybe we could’ve reached great lengths throughout history if women were not prohibited from being in social environments when menstruating. In current global issues, countries led by women leaders surpass countries led by men with lower infection and death rates of the coronavirus. The countries of Germany, New Zealand, and Taiwan are run by women, and it shows the success they have in power during a global pandemic. Women should not be robbed of the opportunities they are well prepared for; if women are allowed to take up the space they have been deprived of imagine how different the world would be. We could have reached the stars and been more advanced.