Period Kaa Kura: Promoting period positivity

Although talking about menstruation in public is now common, the stigma surrounding the topic still remains. The podcast ‘Period Kaa Kura’, which was launched in Sept 2020, has taken on the challenge of bringing menstruation out of the shadows and into the spotlight, through candid conversations and honest storytelling that aims to empower and educate their listeners. The initiative was started by Priyanka Budhathoki and Shristi Kafle, who are the hosts of the podcast and, to date, they have aired 55 episodes. The idea to start a podcast took root during the Covid-19 lockdown when the hosts were using their leisure time to research a topic for their program, as well as invest in equipment like microphones and recording software needed to run a podcast. “We decided to start a podcast on menstruation because of our own experiences as women who were forced to follow the stigmatizing tradition and restrictions our society still believes in,” says Budhathoki. “But why a podcast?” I asked. To that, Kafle says, “Because we both had a journalistic background, starting a podcast felt like the right thing to do, and the topic is also something we both can relate to.” A new episode of the podcast airs every 15 days. Most of these episodes, besides a couple, are in Nepali, since their target audience are the Nepalis people. “After the first few releases, we got a lot of appreciation from our friends and family which motivated us and kept us going,” says Budathoki.

Since the podcast is on menstruation, they first discuss different issues that revolve around it, from taxes on sanitary pads to ‘chhaupadi’ and menstrual health. When asked if it’s difficult to stay relevant since there are only so many things they can bring up, the hosts say it’s surprisingly easy to have conversations on it. Every now and then, the duo receives a bunch of queries or requests from their listeners asking them to discuss a certain issue. That way, they usually have a list of topics ready beforehand to cover on the podcast. “I don’t think we will run out of topics to discuss anytime soon,” adds Kafle.

They have also made it a point to talk about menopause, a relatively neglected aspect of menstruation and women’s health. In Nepal, not many people are aware of the emotional and mental challenges a person might be going through during menopause. They have taken a personal approach to it by talking to their mothers about menopause. They have four episodes on it. In the course of their assignments as journalists, the hosts have been able to gather stories of different women and bring them to light through their podcast. They also talk to guest speakers once in a while to get more insight into topics the discussions are based on. Through the podcast, they are also trying to let people know that not all women menstruate or not everyone who menstruates identifies themselves as women. “It’s definitely not something that many people are aware of so we felt that initiating this conversation was necessary,” says Kafle. “There are non-binary and trans men who menstruate too, and have many concerns regarding period hygiene,” she adds. They have listeners who approach them with their period-related and menstrual health concerns. “We think we have been able to gain trust from people, which is why they are comfortable sharing a lot of personal experiences with us,” says Budhathoki. The podcast has made it a point to include people from various age groups and gender, in order to let them have a platform to put forward their concerns. Along with that, Period Kaa Kura also promotes diverse menstruation issues, from covering stories of young people advocating using sustainable menstrual products in rural areas to bringing in gynecologists to speak on important reproductive health issues such as cervical cancer, PMS, PCOS, menstrual health, and hygiene. Period Kaa Kura, the duo says, is a platform for all menstruating women to share their stories. “This increasing digitalization of things has been a blessing for us,” says Budhathoki. She says it’s comparatively easier to reach a mass today as there is internet access in most parts of Nepal. Connecting with people from all walks of life has never been easier.  “But that also comes with its own share of drawbacks,” says Kafle. The biggest challenge they have come across is the hate messages from certain religious groups. “They think we are challenging or disrespecting religion by not following the rules,” adds Kafle. “But all we are trying to do is help women break the restrictions the society has imposed on them in the name of religion.” The motive of the podcast is clear: to normalize talking openly about periods. And it’s still not as common and accepted as it should be. “Even if the topic ‘period’ is taught in classrooms these days, the only thing they learn is the scientific process, and not the cultural component that has made the lives of many women so difficult,” adds Kafle. “The day we change the perspective of someone, be it a single individual, on menstruation, and help them understand that period is nothing impure and just a natural process, we will truly believe we have made an impact,” says Budhathoki. Despite getting some backlashes, they are happy that their work is still being appreciated. The fact that they have been able to provide a platform where women can share their experiences or openly ask questions regarding menstrual health and hygiene gives a much-needed boost to their morale. “So, we hope to give continuity to our work and do all we can to raise awareness on dignified menstruation,” says Budhathoki. The podcast is available on Soundcloud, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, and Anchor FM.