If a latest survey is to be believed, then Indian men are gradually waking up to the subject of menstrual health and are understanding of how the natural bio cycle impacts women. About 67 per cent of married men and 20 per cent of unmarried men surveyed said they had bought sanitary napkins. And 88 per cent of men thought menstruation did affect women mentally and physically.
A recent survey by Chrome Data Analytics & Media on male awareness about menstrual hygiene threw up more interesting observations. It was conducted in a sample size of 904 (all-India) between an age group of 16 to 54, consisting 60 per cent unmarried and 40 per cent married men.
Awareness on menstrual cycle is higher among married men (100 per cent) than unmarried men (75 per cent). Family, friends or spouses remain the primary source of information on the subject for both unmarried and married men. Asked on the usage in the families, 75 per cent said sanitary napkins were mostly used in the families. About 63 per cent of unmarried men thought privileges should be given to women during their menstruation cycle while 67 per cent of married men didn’t support that.
A large portion of the married respondents, 70 per cent, thought the low penetration of sanitary napkins was due to low awareness levels while the cost of the products was considered to be the second biggest hindrance. Hundred per cent of the respondents thought movies were a good move to spread awareness about the issue.
With Akshay Kumar’s Padman resurrecting the tale of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who revolutionised lives of women in the countryside by producing cost-effective sanitary pads, menstrual hygiene is the focus of national discussion boards and surveys. All of them show that in spite of constant evolution of cultures, there has not been a significant change in people’s attitudes towards menstruation. Even today it is considered to be a taboo and has many myths attached to it which further leads to India having the lowest levels of penetration of sanitary pad usage in the world.