Take control
To this day, periods make people uncomfortable, we don’t like talking about them, yet it’s one of our most natural bodily processes. Over the last few year, we as human being have got a lot better at discussing mental health, gender equality and disability, yet we still have to sneakily run to the bathroom to change a tampon or blame those pesky “cramps” for our moods. It’s time to take control of the conversation, and one platform that’s doing it is Niswa.
Founded by Zainab Alradhi, it is one of the first spaces committed to promoting body literacy for Arab women: “Niswa is a multimedia platform that is dedicated to empowering women through reconnecting with their cycles, taking charge of their fertility, and making informed consensual choices regarding their health and environment,” reads the website.
Self described as an “explorer learner,” Zainab started her journey with fertility awareness in 2015. She is a proud owner of a menstrual cup and a fertility awareness educator, and holds a B.S. in Health Sciences from the University of Michigan.
“Breaking the walls of shame I felt as a teenager regarding my menstrual cycle was one of the most valuable and wonderful experiences I’ve ever had in my life,” she wrote on Instagram.
“We are hormonal, rational, flowing, cyclic, seasonal beings.. And that is a beautiful thing to be! Isn’t it?” she adds.
Education is key in breaking the taboo, equipping women with information that will hopefully result in them welcoming the monthly visitor, rather than dreading it. Ready to talk?
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