Pinkishe Foundation
31/10/2026
A period is a normal part of growing up. It is a sign that the body is working as it should. Yet in many homes, schools and offices, people still lower their voices when periods come up.
Most of this silence is learned. Children watch adults hide pads, avoid the word and change the subject, and they learn to do the same. The good news is that what is learned can be unlearned. This post looks at where period taboos come from, how they hurt girls and women, and simple ways to start the conversation at home and at school.
One woman we spoke to remembers watching her mother buy pads from the chemist when she was small. The shopkeeper always wrapped the packet in old newspaper, then put it inside a black polythene bag. She wondered what the secret parcel could be. A snack her mother did not want to share? A toy?
When she was about 12, her school held a session on periods, for girls only. The teachers spoke in low voices. They told the girls not to discuss it with the boys in class. They said the girls could tell their mothers about the session, but there was no need to tell their fathers or brothers. She came away feeling that periods were something to hide.
It took her months to raise the subject with her mother. When she finally did, her mother bought her a packet of pads and showed her how to use them. It came, of course, wrapped in newspaper inside a black bag.
Her story is common. In India, 1 in 2 girls knew nothing about periods before their first (BMJ Open review of Indian studies, 2016). And 1 in 4 girls stay home from school during their periods (BMJ Open review of Indian studies, 2016).
Some period rules may once have had a practical reason, such as rest. Over time they turned into restrictions with no basis in health. Like a game of broken telephone, each generation passed them on a little more twisted than before.
Somewhere along the way, periods came to be called "impure". In many families, girls and women were kept out of the kitchen, made to sleep apart, or told not to touch certain things during their periods. Some still are.
Period blood is not dirty or impure. It is blood and tissue from the lining of the womb, which the body sheds each month when there is no pregnancy. It is a sign of a healthy body.
Faith is a personal matter, and every family decides for itself what it does at a place of worship. What matters for health is that no girl is made to feel ashamed of her body, or kept away from school, good food, rest, clean products or water during her period.
As more women joined offices and factories, many felt they had to hide their periods to be taken seriously. They worked through pain and discomfort and pretended all was well. Many still do. A workplace where a woman can say "I have cramps today" as easily as "I have a headache" is a better workplace for everyone.
Advertisements often show a smiling girl in white clothes, dancing and running through her period. Real periods are not always like that. Some days a girl feels fine. Other days she feels tired, bloated or crampy and wants to rest. Both are normal. No one should have to pretend, and no one should be judged for a stain.
The day a girl can open a pad in the school toilet without fear, or tell her teacher she has cramps, is a small win worth being proud of. For tips a girl can read herself, see our tips for your first period.
Silence can stop girls from telling anyone when something is wrong. Make sure your daughter, sister or student knows she can talk to you, and take her to a doctor if:
Have a question about periods or period taboos? Call our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999. It answers at any hour.
A simple printable sheet that marks your period days, your fertile window and your ovulation day. We will email it to you now.
We will send the tracker and a few gentle menstrual health emails from Khyati at Pinkishe. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Prefer to work out your dates now? Open the free ovulation calculatorMany old beliefs called periods impure. These beliefs were passed down for generations, so people learned to stay silent. There is no health basis for this. A period is a normal sign of a healthy body.
No. Period blood is blood and tissue from the lining of the womb. It is not dirty and it does not make a girl or woman impure.
Yes. A girl can go to school, play, bathe, cook and eat her usual food during her period. She needs a clean product, a place to change and someone to ask if she has a problem.
Start by the age of 8 or 9, before her first period. Use the real words, keep the talks short and frequent, show her a pad and how to use it, and tell her she can always come to you.
Yes. Boys who understand periods grow into brothers, fathers, classmates and colleagues who do not tease and who know how to help. Basic lessons can be taught to boys and girls together.
Period taboos are learned, and they can be unlearned. They leave girls unprepared, make them miss school, and hide health problems. Simple, open talk at home and at school, using real words, is where change begins.
Pinkishe Foundation is a specialist implementation organisation for menstrual health. We deliver, reliably, in schools and communities across India. Support our work with a donation.
₹1,100 gives one girl a year. Donations are eligible for deduction under Section 80G.
