NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, March 14, 2016

Every evening after work, 27-year-old Paravi* prepares for her upcoming wedding. She reads bridal magazines and hones her cooking, while her aunties regale her with funny tales of married life.

But as night falls, and she’s left alone with her thoughts, Paravi’s enthusiasm turns to anxiety. Because Paravi hides a dark and terrible secret—one so shameful it keeps her up at night and stops her from leaving the house.

Paravi, you see, menstruates.

You think I’m exaggerating? I’m not. Menstruation is so taboo in India that for many women and girls, including university-educated ones like Paravi, being on the rag is a recurring, real-life nightmare.