We Bleed, Therefore We Are

It is time to formulate a national period leave policy to de-stigmatise menstruation

- Abhiruchi Ranjan

AS the nation girds itself for the annual observance of Independence Day, we shall witness the ritualistic exaltation of icons of our national identity, and be regaled with speeches that extol our military prowess, economic growth and global stature. The celebration of national triumphalism will once again become the template of freedom. A notable recent moment of national triumphalism was the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup victory. Once again, a cricket victory served as a reminder of our unity as a nation-a moment where cricket nationalism fostered a sense of national identity, camaraderie and pride.

Drawing on one's sense of identity and belongingness from the glorification of the body politic has been the popular form of celebrating independence. In this framework, the State assumes the role of the paterfamilias (head of the family), reinforcing mainstream markers of identity, honour and pride. The intricate historical dialectic of freedom-marked by struggle, resistance and reclamation becomes obscured by the noisy assertions of nationalism. In the recent past, the influence of cultural nationalism has further blurred these historical complexities, overshadowing the vital traditions of reclaiming freedom, which is crucial for the celebration of freedom in post-colonial India.

The ability to access basic amenities and freely participate in the public sphere are foundational to the reclamation of freedom for people in India today. Even today, menstruators in the country do not have the 'freedom to bleed'-the ability to menstruate with dignity, free from social stigma, and with access to adequate infrastructure. The lack of policy mechanisms and infrastructure that treat menstruation as a basic physiological function-rather than an individual or gender-specific issue-denies menstruators access to the 'freedom to bleed' as a fundamental state-provided necessity.