Padman challenge? Are you okay with it?

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Somebody

@BebaakBegum

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 7 years ago

#101

Princessunara and return_to_hades have already put some very valid points forward but lemme just add my own personal experience to it.
2 years ago, I was on vacationing on a beach with family. We were to do some water sports and the usual things. That was the first time I had tried a tampon and wasn't sure of how it is going to work for me and hence was wary of going in water properly. Mind it, it was a heavy flow day and tbh I was scared of the consequences even though I knew it was not going to be that bad. Anyway, my brother kept asking me why am I so scared of water suddenly and I made random excuses but didn't tell him the reason. This is coming from someone who has talked about periods and anything and everything under the sun with her guy friends. Periods rather was one such thing I barely ever lied about when somebody asked me why do I look tired. Heck, I have even talked about many such things with my brother including how women on their periods are not allowed to enter xyz temple but when it came to my own period, I couldn't and I felt like such a hypocrite throughout this. If a campaign like this helps eradicate issues which exist not only in rural areas but also amongst much liberal and woke women then why not? It's an added advantage.

P.S- Hippo please don't use harsh words like Disgusting in this context.

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nehlove

@nehlove

Sparkler

+ 2

Posted: 7 years ago

#102

I don't understand what's so disgusting about posing with pads? If it raises awareness among people, there is nothing wrong with it even if it is done for movie promotion. At least through the movie promotion they are raising some awareness and people, like us, are discussing this topic, which people did not do previously.

And it is wrong to assume that people in rural areas who do not have access to pads will not have access to twitter and instagram. Pretty much everyone has a smart phone these days to be able to access SM.. And why just rural areas, men from urban cities should feel comfortable talking about this as well. I shouldn't be ashamed to tell my boss that I was sick because of cramps rather than making some other lame excuse for taking a sick day.

Also, the team has been distributing pads to underprivileged girls so it's not like they are ONLY promoting it through twitter. Also, perhaps one should watch the movie to see if it actually addresses the taboo surrounding this issue before coming to conclusion about how they are raising awareness.

And I would rather give my $10 to a movie like Padman than a movie like Padmavat or Tiger. At least I know the next time my $10 will be used in producing a movie that discusses another taboo subject (toilet, ritualistic religious beliefs, etc) instead of my $10 being spent on a movie that ultimately glorifies rituals like "jauhar" or just Katrina barring her midriff for no reason.

Edited by nehlove - 7 years ago

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simz

@live_life

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 7 years ago

#103

Um what's wrong with it?

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Siddu246

@Siddu246

Dazzler

+ 3

Posted: 7 years ago

#104

I agree no one is going to be talking about this subject once the movie releases and hype will be gone. I don't see anyone discussing Toilets anymore.

But I do like the idea of posing with a pad and trying to get rid of the stigma. But they also should have included in the challenge to donate money or buy women in need of pads and educate them on it.

I was just reading an article that was trending on Twitter about how women are living a poverty period life. Meaning they are using old newspapers, old fabrics and whatever they can get their hands on to use because pads are too expensive to purchase.

So helping women that are in need should have been included in the challenge. I mean I doubt poor women go on instagram and look at celebs pictures with pads in their hands. So you are not really spreading the message or reaching the audience that really needs the help in the subject.

Edited by Siddu246 - 7 years ago

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1135177

Suspended

Posted: 7 years ago

#105

Great debate. Both sides have raised some valid points. But there's another angle that we all missed. This movie is a token of appreciation and recognition of Arunachalam Muruganantham's selfless work. Celebs posing with pad in hand might be a promotional gimmick, it is still adding to the overall awareness of the issue. Who knows some highly motivated middle parties/brokers/small investors would actually end up buying these low cost Murugananthan patent machines and setting up in rural and remote areas across India. These efforts work in chain and someone has to start somewhere and it will work it way down to the real needy underprivileged women. It's a win-win situation for both, small investors and the poor consumers IMO.

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surbhi tyagi

@EtherealRati

Trailblazer

+ 5

Posted: 7 years ago

#106

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

You are making assumptions. All humans do not operate or react in the same way. Not everyone is in pain during periods. Not everyone is overtly sympathetic towards pain. Real conversations are about educating people to make sure everyone is comfortable.

Many handicapped people do not like sympathy. Many cancer patients and survivors do not like sympathy. Do we stop talking about those issues?

If you don't like the sympathy, honestly and openly tell people to cut it out. Why should your aversion to the probability of sympathy deny other people their choices?

I don't like being fussed over. I come from a family that fusses over a minor cold. I set my personal boundaries. But I don't tell them never fuss over anyone because some relatives actually like being fussed over when sick.

if i am not wrong, this thing has already been done...a U.S. company included period leaves in their leaves list as the boss saw his employ suffering. So i am not making assumptions. I do agree all girls dont go through heavy pain in periods but a human being sympathetic to someone in pain is a very normal thing i believe. We are humans afterall. Please dont compare periods with those things...periods arent that big problem. Its a natural thing. Its not a disability or life taking illness. And there is a need to talk about those things to discover solutions for recovery and people dont go take selfies with handicamp people and cancer patients and machines for that matter. No i cant cut it out...what i should cut that no girls are not stronger ...and periods dont come with pain. Those are facts i cant deny...saying things like i dont need to tell you about my periods because i dont need you and can handle it myself is plain rude. So no girl can actually cut on it. Its not the same as family sutuation and ya many girl will like that they are treated well during those times. But if this highlighted much...then more companies will make such policies to help their female employees. And even if many female employees might like it ...i dont...because for me its about equality at work place. If a women start getting periods leave ...then gender equality cannot exist.

Edited by EtherealRati - 7 years ago

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Gul

@Gul_bahar

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 7 years ago

#107

I'm okay with it.

And I also support opennness regarding this. We may thing that the taboo would be less in urban areas and cities but it's not.

When I was in 6th grade, a school friend asked her mother about periods and she got a bad scolding in return. I was shocked (twice actually, first shock when I learned about periods and second when my friend got scolded) because we were that age when we should've been taught about periods anyway.

And men should also be involved because ...why not? It's not like men don't study biology. Men and women don't live in separate societies. They should also know it's nothing to be awkward about. It should be seen as a normal thing.

And honestly, those days of the month are frustrating enough and when there is taboo attached it adds to the frustration. What if you stain your clothes? The added worry of hiding it is more painful. I was lucky I went to an all girls school but what about those who go to co-ed ones. Openness becomes a requirement then.

I agree on questioning the genuineness of the campaign though. No one would care if it wasn't about promotion. That is low. But if it is able to break taboo to even a little degree then I'm okay.

I also want that every woman should have access to sanitary pads. It's sad to think so many poor women are forced to use leaves and clothes etc. :(

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return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 7 years ago

#108

Originally posted by: EtherealRati
if i am not wrong, this thing has already been done...a U.S. company included period leaves in their leaves list as the boss saw his employ suffering. So i am not making assumptions.

Citation, please.

And yes, you are making assumptions. You are assuming that just because one person, one company shows excessive sympathy then everyone will follow suit.

Your entire argument is built on a slippery slope which is a logical fallacy. It does not hold.

Originally posted by: EtherealRati
I do agree all girls dont go through heavy pain in periods but a human being sympathetic to someone in pain is a very normal thing i believe. We are humans afterall.

Not all humans experience sympathy equally. Not all humans express sympathy equally. To stop talking about something just because some people might perhaps pain and some humans might perhaps feel sympathy and then might perhaps express that sympathy is a major irrational fallacy.

Originally posted by: EtherealRati
Please dont compare periods with those things...periods arent that big problem. Its a natural thing. Its not a disability or life taking illness. And there is a need to talk about those things to discover solutions for recovery and people dont go take selfies with handicamp people and cancer patients and machines for that matter.

It is an analogy.

We need to talk about all things human health-related. What is natural. As well as rare occurrences. How can we expect to even talk about more complex issues of human health when we cannot even talk about the basics - menstruation.

@Bold - are you really that naive? You have never heard of disability activists complaining about celebrities engaging in disability po*n?

Originally posted by: EtherealRati
No i cant cut it out...what i should cut that no girls are not stronger ...and periods dont come with pain. Those are facts i cant deny...saying things like i dont need to tell you about my periods because i dont need you and can handle it myself is plain rude. So no girl can actually cut on it. Its not the same as family sutuation and ya many girl will like that they are treated well during those times. But if this highlighted much...then more companies will make such policies to help their female employees. And even if many female employees might like it ...i dont...because for me its about equality at work place. If a women start getting periods leave ...then gender equality cannot exist.

There is absolutely nothing rude in saying "Hey, I appreciate your concern and everything that you are doing. But I can handle things on my own. I would really like it if you let me do things my way. If I need help. I will know".

And again there we go with slippery slope arguments. Why do you expect all women to bear the burden of your inability to handle sympathy? And why are you reducing menstruation to just period pain and sympathy? Talking about menstruation is way more than that.

Menstruation is a normal and natural occurrence that all people with biologically female anatomy experience. It is a part of adolescence and basic human biology that all humans ought to know.

It is not about cramps and sympathy. It is not about menstrual leave. It is about knowing what menstruation is and why women experience it. It is about knowing the whole spectrum of ways menstruation may or may not impact women. It is about making an effort to make menstrual health products affordable and accessible to all women. It is about taking the stigma away from insertable menstrual health products that may tear the hymen but are safer, cheaper, and eco-friendly. It is about giving access to women to work, go to school, play sports, and basically live a happy healthy life - something they have been denied due to misconceptions about menstruation no one talks about. It is about understanding how menstrual health and reproductive health impact each other.

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darkzarhi

@randomuserl

Navigator

Posted: 7 years ago

#109

Originally posted by: EtherealRati
if i am not wrong, this thing has already been done...a U.S. company included period leaves in their leaves list as the boss saw his employ suffering. So i am not making assumptions. I do agree all girls dont go through heavy pain in periods but a human being sympathetic to someone in pain is a very normal thing i believe. We are humans afterall. Please dont compare periods with those things...periods arent that big problem. Its a natural thing. Its not a disability or life taking illness. And there is a need to talk about those things to discover solutions for recovery and people dont go take selfies with handicamp people and cancer patients and machines for that matter. No i cant cut it out...what i should cut that no girls are not stronger ...and periods dont come with pain. Those are facts i cant deny...saying things like i dont need to tell you about my periods because i dont need you and can handle it myself is plain rude. So no girl can actually cut on it. Its not the same as family sutuation and ya many girl will like that they are treated well during those times. But if this highlighted much...then more companies will make such policies to help their female employees. And even if many female employees might like it ...i dont...because for me its about equality at work place. If a women start getting periods leave ...then gender equality cannot exist.

why do you think gender equality comes in something like this, men don't get periods so equality doesn't even come into play here... it is not sympathy but CONCERN and CARE, why is it bad to care for a woman?