Topic: Role of women, Social empowerment
1. “Abhorrent practices discriminating against menstruating women should be considered abnormal”. Discuss. (250 words )
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
A college in Gujarat had forced girls to remove their undergarments to check if they were menstruating. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
The question is about the prevalence of abhorrent practices discriminating against menstruating women and in what way it’s time to prove them abnormal.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by explaining the notions of purity and pollution.
Body:
The stigma of menstruation is perpetrated by cultural taboos, discrimination, lack of education, silence, period poverty (the inability to access/afford feminine hygiene products) and such practices have been in existence as part of women’s life.
Discuss the concerns around this; Menstruation discriminates women on the basis of gender thus violating Article 14 of the Constitution. Amounts to a violation of the Right to Privacy, perpetuates female subordination, Taboos about menstruation present in many societies impact on girls’ and women’s emotional state, mentality and lifestyle and most importantly, health.
Discuss the court interventions and their opinion in this regard.
Suggest solutions to address problems.
Conclusion:
Conclude that taboos about menstruation present in many societies impact on girls’ and women’s emotional state, mentality and lifestyle and most importantly, health.
