Scrolling through my Facebook home page today, I saw an infamous, horribly vindictive piece of advertisement or at least that was what the ‘Keyboard Jihadis’ sought it out to be. No it wasn’t pornography nor it was some Bollywood movie’s vulgar song. Had the case been so, they would’ve chosen a much lenient reaction and quite a number of them would have even enjoyed it.
It was something so disgusting and I quote, “Shameful” to them that just by seeing it their wudoo had been broken. What was so appalling, you ask? Pads. Yes, you read that right. A famous brand of women sanitary napkins had introduced a new technology and almost all of the comments in the comment section were about how disgraceful it is for women for such things to be advertised publicly. Some people went as far as to comment that women who are menstruating should remain confined to four walls only because that’s how our prophet would’ve wanted us to behave. Ironically enough, it is only these bedlams that forget the prophets teaching when a girl walks by and they make it their duty to not lower their gaze but rather, to give her a full frontal and back x-ray.
In our society such a topic is considered taboo. Now, I for one, could never get the hang of this concept. I’m in all sorts of pain and I have to be the one to be quiet? No, I don’t want to flaunt my pads and tampons in your face but I don’t want to confine myself every month either. You know what really is appalling? The fact that there are hundreds of thousands of cases of child abuse, rape, harassment, mutilation against women and all the Jihadis seem to care about is how to oppress the already oppressed.
It is disgusting to be part of a society who thinks such a natural process should be hidden as it makes their masculinity uncomfortable. As a girl, and I’m sure a lot of other girls can relate to this, I have been told that, “Your bra strap is showing.” That is because I wear one. “Those shorts you wear are too short.” You don’t like it? Don’t wear them then. “Hide yourself properly. Your arms, ankles etc are visible.” They are a part of me, unless you want me to cut them off. I didn’t ask to be made a girl but I, sure as hell, am not ashamed of it.
Live and let live.
