Wonderful to be a Woman
by Nilma DOLE
[email protected]
In Sri Lanka, women have traditionally thought it embarrassing to
talk about menstruation for they think it is an unpleasant thing. From
feeling shy to ask for sanitary napkins in shops to even talking about
it in the open, periods have always been a pain. As society becomes
modernised, women are opening up but still guidance is needed to follow
the correct path, especially when it comes to education on menstruation.
Women have always suffered in silence from the dawn of time. Whether
it's making a family or being the breadwinner, women all over the world
have taken immense pains to ensure the continuity of the human race.
Every month, it hasn't been forgiving for a woman because she has to
suffer her monthly menstrual cycle where ovulation takes place that
would help her give birth to the next generation.
We always think how it would be if women didn't have these menstrual
cramps and how life will be better without PMS (Pre-menstrual syndrome).
However, fertility experts suffice that in order for a woman to be
fertile, she should have 'period pains' otherwise conceiving is
impossible.
As women, we have to understand that protecting Mother Nature is
important and we shouldn't harm her in any way. However, around the
world, women are doing just that by using disposal sanitary napkins for
their menstruation. Even though our ancestors have used traditional
cotton cloth for collection of their menstrual flow, it has been
cumbersome and sometimes unhealthy. Today, as the present generation
look at disposal sanitary napkins as an easier way for their periods, it
is indeed expensive and isn't good for the environment. Says 40 year-old
Kusuma "I started using disposal sanitary napkins recently as my
daughter advised it but I find that I have to wrap it many times in
paper because dogs and cats dig the garbage and it's embarrassing too".
According to Japanese specialist Rie Ito, "Disposal sanitary napkins
are bleached with chlorine may cause cancer and vestigial chlorine can
cause irritation and allergic reactions to women". She has also
calculated that the average woman uses 7000 sanitary pads in her
lifetime. This fact considers that she has her period for 30 years of
her life on an average of 60 days a year and uses around 4 pads a
day."The important thing is that women who use disposal sanitary napkins
are polluting the environment because they have to throw their pads
without recycling them" she said. Non-biodegradable products like rayon
contaminate the soil and the aquifers need to be buried in landfills
using up precious soil.
Furthermore, it has been reported that burning of disposal sanitary
napkins are bad for the ozone layer since it contains chlorine and
plastic chemicals that releases CFCs.
Rie Ito is the Director of Momiji Natural that markets a cloth
sanitary napkin that has special cotton fibres that are easy to wash and
can be used for 6 years. "I want women to adopt the Green Menstruation
method which attempts to manage a woman's monthly period in an
environmentally friendly manner" she said. "Not only are you wasting
money on disposal sanitary napkins every month but you are harming
Mother Nature". Our ancestors knew better in the way in which they
didn't pollute the environment so it is high time we think of learning
from them by using cloth sanitary napkins but those which are hygienic,
economical and environmentally friendly.n |
