Let's Talk
Sometimes I feel I am fighting against my childhood beliefs. I was told, certain words are forbidden, certain phrases are frowned upon and certain topics are discussed only inside four walls. But the 21st Century woman in me, who starts her day with Facebook updates, doesn't agree. I was hushed on many occasions as a child, given signals to keep mum as a teenager; I admit, even I refrained from speaking on numerous counts, but not now…
…now, I know we can snub a voice, we can hush a tone, we can do everything but erase it completely. And if the matter still exists, it's worth a conversation. So, let's talk!
Almost all the prohibited topics are centered around women and the worst part is, women pays the price every time. Being unaware is no excuse when it comes to health issues. Thus, it becomes imperative to speak out and clear the clouds that engulf our thoughts. Most of us don't know what all problems a woman face...not even the woman herself. In fact, we are not even sure what exactly intimate health issues mean.
We always narrow down to Menstruation when we think of intimate health issues, but, it is just a start. There is a huge list of problems beyond that. Have you ever heard of these terms - Chlamydia, Thrush, Bacterial Vaginosis, PID, Cystitis or Trichomoniasis? NO!!! No wonder, even I was not familiar with these terms till I heard about the contest on blogadda. To my surprise, these problems are faced by many women. And almost everybody live with them, not because they don't want a cure or treatment but they simply don't know what exactly they suffer from. Since we don't discuss such issues, we overlook them, thinking they are not something big. But if not treated or are ignored, few can turn rather serious. Also it's definitely hampering our healthy existence.
Majority of these are bacterial infections which require nothing more than proper care, hygiene and medication. Mind you, some of these problems occur whether you are sexually active or not and you all will be little shocked to know that some are faced by men too. When most of these problems are infections, which can be diagnosed by a simple test and cured by medicine, why are we ashamed of discussing them, why we whisper about them? We have to face them!
Remember how we were told to bring a glass of water when a certain TV commercial was aired. It doesn't happen now to that an extent. Our society has accepted that the younger generation equipped with Google will find everything. Information is available at the click of a button but first we have to type the right words. For those who don't know the proper words, talking to family and friends and to the doctor will definitely help. Don't hide the issues under the sheets of shame!
How To Spread Awareness and Encourage People To Talk
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Intimate health issues should be included in school textbooks. If we can include sex education, why not this?
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Telling your family and friends that it is a health issue which can be resolved by medication or hygiene and is nothing to be ashamed of.
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Advertisement by health ministry on TV, like that of contraceptives.
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Posters in hospitals and clinics to guide the public.
www.sarusinghal.com
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Being loud and clear is not that easy, specially when your voice can raise few eyebrows. Always remember those who question it are simply unaware. When I started to write this article, even I was living with some myths. Now, I know few things which I have written publicly on my blog. If I can talk about it here, you can surely talk about it without any hesitation. After all, it's all about maintaining good health…
*This post is a part of the weekend blogging contest at BlogAdda.com in association with 18again.com.
An informative post..knowing the exact terms too mean a lot..
ReplyDeleteYeah, knowing a term would help us search for it on the net. Problem is we don't even know these terms and what exactly we suffer from.
DeleteThanks for reading Ranita :)
I remember those days so clearly! Glad that things are changing. Keeping mum about an issue will not solve it , but increase the magnitude of its effect. Speaking out, is the key.
ReplyDeleteRight, speaking and discussing would lead to finding a solution. Speaking is indeed the key here...
DeleteInformative.. and not only that.. raising an important point that certain things need to be aware of and discussed.. coming out of the cocoon...
ReplyDeleteWe need to spread the word, it's something to be ashamed of. It's just a health problem which needs to be addressed. And yes, for Indians adapting it would be like coming out of cocoon.
DeleteSo silly to be ashamed of ourselves and our bodies.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is but in India talking about your body is a silly thing and frowned upon.
DeleteGood one Saru... I would say "Go ahead" and write an other post with information on each...
ReplyDeleteI will surely think about it. Thanks for reading. :)
DeleteI would say this is something of a relief after the ad for the product.. well done Saru
ReplyDeleteThanks, BTW, I was quite relieved after reading your post on the product. In fact, I enjoyed it:)
Deleteof course typing the right words is important...
ReplyDeleteoff everything I admire this post and you for putting it across
Thank you and welcome here :)
DeleteSaru, have you noticed, in the water parks in India, men flaunt their pot bellies, but women always wear salwaar suits and not bathing suits! That's how we have been bought up. Never show your body, cover up, dont discuss this and that. People dont discuss about sex, and look we have a red light district in every city. Its very hypocritical you know. Irks me a LOT.
ReplyDeleteAs you have clearly stated the youth of today are more aware and forward. People have seminars and sessions to discuss these so called 'taboo' topics. Keeping any part of the body clean is very important and the problems and options should be discussed, so why the vagina is always shunned!
All the best for the contest! An open and a clear post!
Actually when everything narrows down to your health, then there is no excuse. Just because the problem is centered around the private parts of body, doesn't mean you can't discuss it. It's a problem, so there will be a solution and unless you talk, how would others come to know. And as I said in the end, it's all about maintaing good health.
DeleteThanks for reading and your wishes. :)
The horrible ad made me wince. I am all for speaking in the open about issues thought taboo so far as you rightly said. But, this must never be done in the garb of promoting old fashioned values like virginity or fairness for private parts. Sometimes, I wonder how sick all this is becoming.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I can speak in open about any topic which effects our health. There is nothing to be ashamed of. And other things you mentioned, those are a personal choice. Thanks for reading Rachna.:)
DeleteWith explosion of knowledge talking about everything always helps in understanding misconceptions!All the best Saru!
ReplyDeleteI agree, without knowledge we all have our own opinions, which might not be true.
DeleteThanks for your wishes Sir.:)
Commendable Saru! Yes, we have had those hushed moments, yes we ourselves have had that inferiority complex with the change in our bodily characteristics, mostly because the taboo it was considered. But true, we need to come out of those silly cocoons and come discuss them. Because lack of information is often dribbled out as misinformation. And, misinformation can be dangerous.
ReplyDeleteA Grain of Sand
I really liked this post!
It is dangerous, when I was doing the research for this article, I stumbled upon many pages on internet narrating how when unaddressed some small problems can lead to major health problems, infertility was the common one.
DeleteThanks for reading and sharing your views Stuti :)
Being 'loud and clear' on women's health is absolutely essential. However we need to train people on the 'sensitivity' aspect of the topic - otherwise it becomes a tool for harassment and abuse.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I didn't think from that perspective. Thanks for adding that. Actually I go to hospitals in US and here people are very sensitive and respect your body. I almost forgot what happens in our country. Last week I read, a compounder recorded delivery of a baby and was shacked. Sick.
DeleteThanks for reading and adding a valuable thought here:)
open and informative
ReplyDeleteThanks:)
DeleteGreat work!
ReplyDeleteMust be carried on!
All the best Saru!!
Thank you Sir.
DeleteGreat Going Saru & thanks for the information ! Thanks for making a start for highlighting such issues. This will motivate the other females to take up such writings as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you Vaishali, I hope others will also follow...:)
DeleteI was going through the advertisement on newspaper & was just having a discourse with myself that how its ad was resisted to be telecasted. Though picture of private part is somewhere not comfortable but we may at least talk about the health issues related to them.
ReplyDeleteNice title :'let's talk' ;)
Good luck!
Yes, we have to talk about the health issues related to it. Thanks for liking the title :)
DeleteAnd thanks for your wishes as well :)
Very good Saru, yes talking helps .. and its glad that these days more and more people are talking about issues and hence they are coming out and hopefully this will help resolve a lot of issues
ReplyDeleteBikram's
Yeah, I hope so too. We have to deal with all sorts of health issues...
DeleteThanks for reading Bikram.
We should definitely come out of the old age mindset and be prepared to talk about such intimate issues, as you rightly said, its all about maintaining good health. Its unfortunate to know many women are suffering from such problems and they are not even aware of it. Maybe the government should take the initiative to organize an awareness drive for such issues so that women who might be suffering from these issues will know the symptoms (if there are any) and they can get it treated before it gets serious.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, you have to educate them before it is too late...Thanks for reading and understanding the gravity of this issue. You are truly a blogger with lot of ethics Akshay.
DeleteNo problem finds its solutions until it is put out on the table. No one is clairvoyant to guess things that one might be undergoing, but our society has been a little too conservative on certain topics.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, we've got to talk.
Cheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete
Yes, our society is conservative but we have to tell them that there are some issues which can affect health and we should at least talk about them.
DeleteThanks for reading!
Very well written.
ReplyDelete:) :) :)
DeleteWell done indeed!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for the contest!
Thank you so much Sir.
DeleteI was taught that religion an politics were bad to talk about with mixed company. At work that's what we talk about the most. I work with one lady that is Jewish, born again Christains and 1 Athiest. It makes for pretty interesting conversation.
ReplyDeleteI think in this day and age we should be free to talk about anything.
Yes, we should be free to talk about everything. :)
DeleteVery important and informative post Saru! You did a good job!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteI saw your post and didn't understand a thing from the topic. Only after reading through your post did I realise that this is regarding a contest. Nevertheless, I agree with your points. I really Thank God that I am a man.
ReplyDeleteSure, men are in a better position than women as far as some of the health issues are concerned but as I mentioned in my post that some of these issues affect men as well.
DeleteThanks for reading Sabyasachi.
If it is not hushed up, we will have lesser casualty rates due to breast and cervical cancer. This is what I believe. Time to face the truth head on.
ReplyDeleteRight, we have to talk about it to save many from facing severe consequences. Indeed, time to face the truth.
DeleteThanks for reading and sharing your views Puru:)
those are taboo topics in Indian society.
ReplyDeleteyes agree everyone needs to be aware about above problems
Right, we need to spread awareness...
DeleteThanks for reading!
Great Post Saru, I attended this 18 Again event in Mumbai. Do check my post :)
ReplyDeletelove
http://www.meghasarin.blogspot.com
Hope you agree with us on spreading awareness about the diseases we talked about. I'll check your post. Thanks for the link :)
DeleteIts a shame that we're the onily species that is ashamed of its self
ReplyDeleteYes, the over intelligent humans think not-so-high of themselves...Sigh!
DeleteA great and timely post, finally somebody raising their voice. Carry on and best of luck.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Sandeep:)
Delete"Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya!" An enlightening post indeed and very well written too.
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteI agree Saru 'information is health ' . Good luck
ReplyDeleteThanks Jayashree...
DeleteQuite informative and you are right we should not hide above mentioned issue under the sheet of shame. Time to start new culture or new tradition where everybody whether its men or women, They speak and encourage other people also to spread awareness about these kind of health issue.
ReplyDeleteI liked your idea too, how we can spread awareness.
Hope your this post will bring changes to the perception of the people.
All the best and best of luck:)
I hope so too, we should atleast be open on health issues. Thanks for reading and your wishes...:)
DeleteIndeed post....it was really great to step in here...
ReplyDeletehttp://apparitionofmine.blogspot.in/
:) Welcome!
Deleteagree with what you say saru . . nicely written . . all the best for the contest : )
ReplyDeleteThanks Maliny and same to you :)
Deletewell done mam ,this are the things which women must not hide and speak out - but most of the times I came across the exact opposite of it - I hope many girls and women are gonna get inspired by your post - superb write up
ReplyDeleteI hope so too...Thanks for reading Vinisha :)
DeleteNicely written Di.. Truly informative.. Its really a great initiative to discuss on such a topic..
ReplyDeleteWell, Though its not impossible, its really very very difficult to change our mindset and be open to such issues.. Now after reading your post everyone will comment and agree with your points but once they come face to face none will dare to be so open :) We Indians are programmed since our childhood with certain viruses which cant be deleted even on formatting our system :)
I think we are changing, though the pace is not that great but see you read it and commented. There was a time people didn't comment on such posts. I think we will evolve for sure...
DeleteThanks for reading Sonia :)
Health is wealth, who ever said that was very smart..! Wish you all the best :)
ReplyDeleteYes, health is wealth. Thanks for your wishes Ghazala :)
Deleteagree it needs to be talked, discussed so much that even the rural women shed their shame and so called "sabhyata " and able to discuss freely, at least the one that costs health
ReplyDeleteYes, atleast the ones that costs health...
DeleteWell written:) Yes, we seldom discuss these issues even at home. Worse, women don't even have the time to worry about such 'trivial' problems. They let the rot set in and rush to the doctors when it is unbearable. Women just do not take care of their own health:( Good luck with the contest, Saru:)
ReplyDeleteYes, this is what happened in my family. My aunt neglected it for years and later combined with all other health issues, she was in a bad condition. She is no more, she died in May this year.
DeleteWomen should take care of their health. Thanks for your wishes...:)
Resp. sushri saruji, I have no words 4 ur 'Words' Very Nice Said..!
ReplyDelete"In fact, we are not even sure what exactly intimate health issues mean."
Markand Dave.
Thank you so much Sir and welcome here :)
DeleteBravo, SAru!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteSorry Saru, I stepped in late...:(
ReplyDeleteA very well written article which should be read widely..! Indeed...talking helps, spreads awareness. Kudos, girl..!!:))
Thank you so much Ma'am and please don't say sorry ever...:) :) :)
DeleteHi Saru, very well written article about communicating intimate health topics. For me talking about intimate health is educational. Well done :)
ReplyDeleteTalking does help...
DeleteThank you so much and welcome here :)
I agree that we have to stop this hush-hush mentality of ours! I remember going to buy some pads one day and the shopkeeper looking shocked that it was me and not my maid who had come to ask for them!! It's so laughable!
ReplyDeleteReally! We have to change our mentality for sure. Thanks for reading!
DeleteLike I say for all of your posts- Saru che! (Very good in Gujarati)
ReplyDeleteKeep up :)
Thanks Ekta :)
DeleteGosh I didn't know half of that stuff. You're right though. Women in general are careless about their health and when it comes to gynaec issues they're even more reluctant to visit the doctor.
ReplyDeleteAll the best for the contest.
Yes, we are very careless about ourselves. Thanks for reading and for your wishes. :)
DeleteWelcome here:)
Post Saaru Che.
ReplyDeleteBut what made me come here...is to divert you to Reds blog and check out her latest post...the girl in one of the pictures looks a lot like you...hahahahha...i think u have a clone! :D :D
O shucks- Is it you only!!! :O
ReplyDeleteWe had a good time courtesy this comment and a blogger mess-up. :)
DeleteVery informative Saru.. And yes, things are not as it used to be now thanks to the internet and one search away from solutions.
ReplyDeleteYes, things are better for sure but we still need to work a lot. Thanks for reading Binu :)
DeleteThis is SUCH a thought provoking post. A yoga class that I inquired about, in the name of joining told me : "classes happen daily, except when you have that three days problem."
ReplyDeleteI went - Hullo *waving my arms about* when a woman doesn't menstruate THEN there is a problem. Not the otherwise.
Nice write!
Do stop by my blog! Kappu
Yeah that is true, when it doesn't happen then it is a problem. Thanks for reading and sharing your views. :)
DeleteThings should change for better. Thanks for your wishes but I didn't win...:)
ReplyDeleteExplicitly written and Yes we have to come out from hesitations of talking the worthwhile as we do talk about dirty things just for fun....
ReplyDeleteThanks for an eye-opener post Saru...
Yes, we have to talk and thanks for reading Madhavi.
DeleteWelcome here:)
very informative indeed...and it's a good way to share it here on public platform .. good way to create awareness among youth!
ReplyDeleteRegards
Rahul
Among all sections and age groups, not only youth.:)
DeleteDon't know how I missed this! This is a very relevant post. Change should begin at our homes. Being literates, we need to be the ones to break these age old inhibitions and spread awareness across all other sections. And health is NOT something we need to hush about!
ReplyDeleteRight! Nothing at the cost of health. Thanks for reading:)
Delete