Aditi Gupta: A taboo-free way to talk about periods
Aditi Gupta: Una forma libre de tabús para hablar del período
Aditi Gupta uses storytelling and art to educate young girls about menstruation. Full bio
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goes through every month
pasa cada mes
of our species depends on it.
nuestra especie depende de ello.
and shameful talking about it.
y vergonzoso hablar de ello.
a secret from others --
appeared in our textbooks,
en nuestros libros escolares,
se saltó el tema.
shameful to talk about it.
una vergüenza hablar de ello.
diversas partes de la India
are not aware of menstruation
no son conscientes de la menstruación
out of 10 girls being unaware of it.
cada 10 niñas no son conscientes de ello.
that I have spoken to,
con las que he hablado
at the time of their first menstruation
el momento de su primera menstruación
is a very important risk factor
de riesgo muy importante
of girls and women
de las niñas y mujeres
of managing their periods.
para sobrellevar sus períodos.
unhygienic ways to manage their periods.
poco higiénicas durante sus períodos.
called Garhwa, in Jharkhand,
llamada Garhwa, en Jharkhand,
is considered shameful.
higiénica se considera una vergüenza.
I would wash and reuse them.
y volvía a utilizarlos.
in a dark, damp place
en un lugar oscuro y húmedo
that I'm menstruating.
de que estaba menstruando.
the rags would become coarse,
se volvían ásperos,
and infections using them.
e infecciones por usarlos.
until I moved out of that town.
hasta que me fui de esa ciudad.
that periods brought in my life
trajeron a mi vida
and women when they're on their periods.
cuando están en sus días.
ser conscientes de ello,
for the few who don't.
para los pocos que no lo son.
o comer pepinillos.
or some other family member's bed.
o la cama de otro miembro de la familia.
after every period,
después de cada periodo,
any object of religious importance.
cualquier objeto de importancia religiosa.
of menstruating girls and women.
y mujeres con el periodo
es la mujer mayor
on younger girls in a family.
a las niñas más jóvenes de la familia.
accepting such restrictions as norms.
aceptando tales restricciones como normas.
from generation to generation.
and wash their dishes separately.
y lavar sus platos por separado.
to take baths during periods,
teniendo el período,
secluded from other family members.
aisladas de otros miembros de la familia.
and women in India
y mujeres en la India
customs on their periods every month.
restrictivas durante sus períodos.
and self-confidence of a young girl?
de una niña?
that this inflicts,
during her early formative years?
durante sus primeros años de formación?
restrictive customs for 13 years,
costumbres restrictivas por 13 años,
con mi pareja, Tuhin,
about menstruation forever.
de la menstruación.
our postgraduation in design.
tras nuestro posgrado en diseño.
discussing periods with him.
sobre el período con él.
that girls get painful cramps
tienen calambres dolorosos
upon menstruating girls and women
a las jóvenes y mujeres que menstrúan
and learn more about menstruation.
acerca de la menstruación.
about menstruation myself.
yo misma sabía de la menstruación.
actually turned out to be myths.
en realidad resultaron ser mitos.
sobre la menstruación,
who would be ill-informed, too.
que estarán mal informadas, también.
the lack of awareness about menstruation
falta de conciencia sobre la menstruación
and misconception is a rural phenomenon,
es un fenómeno rural,
an urban phenomenon as well.
un fenómeno urbano.
urban class, also.
clase urbana educada, también.
parents and teachers,
muchos padres y profesores,
wanted to educate girls about periods
informar a las niñas sobre el período
getting their menstrual cycle.
a tener su ciclo menstrual.
the proper means themselves.
adecuados ellos mismos.
and shameful in talking about it.
vergüenza hablar de ello.
in classes six and seven,
en las clases de sexto y séptimo,
only in standard eight and nine.
solo en octavo o noveno.
skip the subject altogether.
se saltan el tema por completo.
teach girls about periods,
a las niñas sobre el período,
and we wondered:
con Tuhin y nos preguntamos:
about menstruation on their own --
la menstruación por cuenta propia,
parents and teachers
comfortably to young girls?
cómodamente a las jóvenes?
of girls during their periods.
de las niñas durante su período.
curious and interested
la curiosidad y el interés
in their close circle.
en su círculo cercano.
that would make the girls curious
a las niñas la curiosidad
to teach girls about periods.
para enseñarles sobre el período.
would enact these stories
promulgaran estas historias
in a fun and engaging way.
niñas de manera divertida y atractiva.
in their different phases of puberty,
en sus diferentes fases de la pubertad,
during the narrative of the book
el curso del relato del libro
been getting her period.
about the various aspects of growing up
de los diversos aspectos del crecimiento
were objectionable in any way
fueran objetables en modo alguno
we found that the girls loved the book.
que a las chicas les encantó el libro.
about periods on their own.
el período por cuenta propia.
cómodos al hablar del período
comfortable in talking about periods
were interested in reading it.
estaban interesados en leerlo.
in creating an environment
de un entorno
dejó de ser un tabú.
themselves to educate girls
prototipo para educar a las niñas
in five different states in India.
en 5 estados diferentes en India.
took this prototype to educate young monks
para educar a los jóvenes monjes
called "Menstrupedia Comic"
llamado "Cómic Menstrupedia"
del año pasado.
educated by using the book in India and --
usando el libro en la India y...
into different languages
el libro en diferentes idiomas
in different countries.
en diferentes países.
partes de la India
a part of their school curriculum
parte de su programa de estudios
sobre la menstruación.
cómo los voluntarios,
teachers, school principals,
directores de escuela,
drive to their own communities,
en sus propias comunidades,
learn about periods at the right age
de los períodos a la edad adecuada
where menstruation is not a curse,
la menstruación no sea una maldición,
en la vida de una niña.
to all the parents here.
a todos los padres aquí.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Aditi Gupta - Social entrepreneur, co-founder of MenstrupediaAditi Gupta uses storytelling and art to educate young girls about menstruation.
Why you should listen
Aditi Gupta is a social entrepreneur and co-founder of Menstrupedia, working towards spreading awareness about menstruation. While studying at the National Institute of Design as a Ford Foundation research scholar, she has conducted extensive research in understanding the scenario of menstrual unawareness in India and its impact on a girl's life. She has designed effective educational tools for girls and schools using storytelling and sequential art for educating young girls about periods in a society where the subject is a major taboo.
Menstrupedia Comic is a complete guide on periods designed by Menstrupedia team being used by more than 30 schools across India. The books are being distributed in other countries like Nepal, South America and Nigeria.
Gupta is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and made it to the achiever's list of Forbes India 30 under 30 in 2014 for her work towards breaking the taboo around menstruation. She is a International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC and BBC. She aspires to create a future where menstruation is not a taboo but a welcoming change in a girl's life.
Aditi Gupta | Speaker | TED.com