Have you ever went to a public toilet, in plan of answering to the nature call, but ended up holding it in not only because of the toilet was dirty but also because there were used pad/pantyliner not properly discarded, or because of the sanitary bin was under-maintenance and it gives out that period smell! 🙁
This photo was taken during one of the conference I attended recently. I’m sure you have also gone into a public toilet and seen the sanitary bin OVERFLOWING with discarded pads that are still wet, soaked with blood and not properly wrapped. It’s not only unhygienic and disgusting for us to see, but also a sad reflection of the the group of women who were using that public toilet – a majority of whom are educated women going to a conference, but somehow it feels to me like the event was attended by primary school kids, those who just got their first menses. The point I’m trying to put across with this picture is that we, as individuals, can make better choices when it comes to our periods. When I saw this, I felt so strongly the need to share something that changed my life as a woman- the Suci Cup.
Suci Cup is actually a menstrual cup and is an alternative period product to pad and tampons. Suci Cup can be reused up to 10 years, so I think if more women switch to Suci Cup instead of pad and tampons, we would be able to avoid this amount of waste and keep our public toilets clean. It is a big dream, but if we are able to change an individual at a time, it is possible.
I want to also bring to light a personal mini mission of mine, which is to normalize inserting something such as tools that make period management cleaner and easier into your vagina – I’m sorry for the lack of better words. I strongly believe that normalizing being well informed about your own reproductive organs by breaking the taboo of touching your private parts, taking a mirror to see and know it, and discussing about the health of our reproductive is the only way help women have better understanding about our menses and overall reproductive organ health – the more you know, the easier to understand if something is wrong, especially health-wise.
In my journey with this mini mission, I’ve met quite a number of women who don’t even know that the vaginal, anal and urethral canals aren’t connected. Many women still think that you pee and bleed through same hole. Not only that, I have also met a few patients in the ward that didn’t even know they were bleeding heavily (abnormal) and had only came to the clinic when their condition was already severe. This can actually can be prevented when you use the Suci Cup, as you will automatically learn more about your own body and be conscious about it simply through the way you need to use it.
Another goal of my mini mission is to end period poverty by making
menstrual cups so normalized that it becomes accessible to women from all walks of life, because this is way we can reach underprivileged women and get them to switch to the more sustainable cups. I don’t really know how to put it in words but what I have in mind is something like this: Using cup is so normal among us – the underprivileged starts to know and learn about it – supply them, especially teenagers, with cup – they no longer have to worry about buying period products and experience the health side-effects of bad period hygiene.
Hence, to my fellow comrades, independent, educated and strong women, the future is in our hands.
X, Sharmila Suaidi.
Ms Sharmila Suaidi
Meet our incredible writer, a passionate advocate for change! Currently in her 3rd year of medical school. She combine her medical knowledge with a keen awareness of social issues, making her a force to be reckoned with. With a strong dedication to sexual education, mental health, and women empowerment, she actively volunteer to make a positive impact. Get ready for stimulating discussions on thought-provoking topics. Oh, and did we mention she’s a proud user of the Suci Menstrual Cup?. Buckle up for a wild ride with our witty and intelligent writer!