I recently stumbled upon a deeply disturbing news story: thousands of menstruating women in Beed, Maharashtra, are undergoing hysterectomies to avoid taking menstrual or maternity leaves.
Why are women forced to opt for hysterectomies?
Beed district, famously known as Maharashtra’s sugar belt, attracts migrants from poorer districts who settle there for six to seven months to work as sugarcane cutters. Once there, they often fall victim to exploitative contractors with a bias towards hiring men over women.
Contractors are often hesitant to hire women for cane-cutting citing hard physical labour requirements, unavailabilty of women due to period or pregnancy. If they do miss work, they face wage loss.
The living conditions are abysmal too—families are forced to live in makeshift huts or tents near the fields, with little to no access to toilets. Harvesting sometimes carry through the night, leaving little time for rest. During menstruation, these harsh conditions become even more pronounced for women.
Given the unsanitary conditions, many women develop infections. They are often advised to opt for hysteroctomies, even when minor gynecological issues could be easily treated with medication.
Safe, accessible & functional toilets is a basic human need
Accessible, clean & safe toilets should be a human right, but even today many government schools in India lack functional toilets for girls. Researchers working on education must be familiar with the visual of locked toilets ( I myself have had to pee in the open guarded by women on several occassions).
Though government data cites near universal availaibility of functional toilets, independent data say otherwise.
What to believe? But another indicator of functional & accessible toilets is understanding the school absenteesim & irregularity data for girls & boys. a study conducted in India with 100,000 girls found that 25% of the girls aged between 10 and 19 missed school when they were on their period.
What’s productivity for women?
Something that should work for you & not against you. Your productivity shouldn’t come at the cost of your health & wellbeing.
This is a well established statement. Alas, when it comes to women, it just that- a mere lip-serviceable sentence without much substance in it.
Men and women have distinct anatomical, genetic, and biological differences, as supported by extensive scientific evidence. Despite this, these differences are often overlooked, particularly in the workplace, where the only acknowledgment of our unique needs is the provision of separate washrooms.”
Maternity leave is another contentious issue that can threaten a woman’s career. Women often face bias during hiring processes due to their potential motherhood status, with employers inquiring into their personal lives to diminish their bargaining power.
Women undergo a wide range of biological changes every month—the menstrual cycle, which modulates hormones, among other things. This also affects our behavior and actions—something society has forced women to suppress to maintain productivity.
Women aren’t taught about the menstrual condition in detail, certainly not the complex interplay of emotions & biological changes that determine so much of who we are, what we think & what we do.
Even as recently as a decade ago, there was little to no awareness of Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). It was often lumped in with PMS or dismissed as “that time of the month.”
Emerging research on PMDD is still limited, but at least there’s now a more diverse discussion around managing it, rather than simply enduring it to equate women with men. Instead of focusing on equality, we’re starting to talk about equity and how to create a life that’s not identical to men’s, but one that is best suited for women.
However, advancements in science and reproductive health are also being exploited, just as they are being used ethically.
I know that this article touches on several interrelated issues, but what can I do when the reality is that these problems are interlinked and responsible for our health, living conditions, and overall quality of life.
We must raise our voices now and demand greater representation of reproductive health and justice in both scientific and sociological research.
We need more accessible menstrual health and hygiene facilities that don’t compromise our right to education. And we need maternity-friendly workplaces that respect women’s complex anatomy and physiology, without reducing them to mere points in productivity or gender debates.
Fingers in symphony 