Today’s daily prompt is “fabric”. I want to write about “Pad Man“, the new Indian movie that tackles the taboo topic of periods (in India). Based on a true story, this movie tries to tackle a taboo topic and raise awareness about women’s health. While living in villages and working in the slums of Mumbai, I have witnessed the difficulties girls and women face when they have their periods. The biggest issue was not being aware of or being able to afford sanitary pads. I recall the girls and women collecting bits and pieces of fabric and making sure they were washed, dried and hidden away. When I was wrapping up my project at the Film City slum in Mumbai, I asked the members of my group what they would like from me as a parting gift. They asked me for safety pins, good quality safety pins that would hold fabric together and keep them more comfortable during their periods. The question is – why are girls and women in many parts of the world still not able to have access to a basic necessity – sanitary pads? The answer is not just poverty, the discomfort of millions of girls and women, have not made us uncomfortable enough to do something, once and for all.
REFLECTIONS 