Indian women join #HappyToBleed campaign to protest temple’s remarks on menstruation
The president of the board which manages the temple, says he may consider allowing women into the ancient shrine if there was a way to ensure that they were not menstruating
Scores of Indian women have taken to social media declaring themselves “Happy to Bleed”, after the head of a famous Hindu temple said he would consider allowing women in if there was a machine to check that they were not menstruating.
Nikita Azad said she launched the #HappyToBleed campaign to protest the remarks made by the head of Sabarimala temple, a popular shrine in southern India, and help break the taboo surrounding menstruation.
“This is a basic issue about discriminatory beliefs that say menstruation is unclean,” Azad, a student, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “Menstruation is a natural activity which doesn't need curtains to hide behind.”
Menstruation is a natural activity which doesn't need curtains to hide behind
Since Azad started the campaign earlier this week, women, along with some male supporters, have posted photographs on Facebook and Twitter holding an array of signs with the words “Happy to Bleed”.
Some have posted pictures of soiled sanitary napkins, underwear and clothes.
“We are #happytobleed each month and if we didn't, you wouldn't exist!” said one sign.
In rural and urban India, menstruation is rarely discussed openly and menstrual blood is considered impure. In many communities, menstruating girls and women are not allowed to prepare food or enter a temple.