SARA POURKHAZRI

Kermashan — From the intensity of the pain, she curls up on herself involuntarily, yet she does not even dare to place her hand on the source of the pain. She knows that this single movement is enough to draw the attention of those around her.

Every time she rises from her chair, she immediately inspects the seat with a worried and anxious look, fearing she may have left a bloodstain behind and someone might notice. This scene, at first glance, resembles a wounded criminal covering up, afraid of being discovered by the police.

 

A Pain That Must Remain Hidden

All women experience menstruation every month for nearly three decades of their lives. It is a completely biological and natural experience and part of human bodily functions. Yet this matter—which should be ordinary and acceptable—has turned in many societies, due to patriarchal structures and deeply rooted taboos, into one of the most difficult periods in women's lives. Not only must they endure pain, hormonal changes, and physical pressures, but they are also obliged to hide this natural process professionally, as if menstruation were something shameful or undesirable.

Leyla Q., a woman who experienced something similar to what our agency's report began with, says in the workplace: "I am the only woman in my workplace. Once, my period surprised me in the middle of working hours, and the pain swept through my entire body. The pain was so severe that I felt as if my body was being wrung out from the inside. But I did not even dare to ask the buffet worker—who was a man—for a cup of herbal tea, perhaps to calm me down a little. Taking leave was also not possible for me, because the manager always interrogated me for two hours at every leave, and I could not tell him I was menstruating."

She adds: "I live this same situation every month. We have the right to take leave for this condition and not be forced to do hard work on the days we are in pain. But unfortunately, in work environments, it is not only that we have no leave and cannot show our pain—we do not even have the courage to drink a cup of herbal tea."

 

"When Women's Pain Is Not Taken Seriously"

Masculinity does not only appear in grand social structures; it can also infiltrate the most delicate daily experiences of women. During menstruation, many women, in addition to enduring pain and exhaustion, strive hard not to show any sign of their physical condition. Sometimes even taking a rest or reducing activity is not easy for them—as if enduring pain were part of their daily duty. This pressure to hide pain and continue activities is an experience many women face.

Setareh S., a woman who struggles every month with severe menstrual pain, says: "From the first years my period began, it was always accompanied by unbearable pain. For this reason, after marriage, this situation continued. But my husband not only failed to consider this pain natural, he constantly scolded and insulted me with his words, saying: 'If I had known you had a problem, I would never have married you.' My mother‑in‑law also used to say to me every time in a blaming tone: 'In our time there were no such nonsense; everyone endured the pain. Your pain relief is wrong and will cause you not to have children in the future.'"

She explained that "these words made my husband prevent me from taking injections—as if my body and my pain became a subject that others had the right to decide about. Now, I suffer every month from pain until I reach the verge of fainting, and it is not only that I am not understood—my husband expects me on those days to cook food and do housework, as if my pain is my duty, and my body has no right to step out for a single moment from this harsh daily routine based on duties."

In many mistaken cultural beliefs, menstrual pain is viewed as a sign of suffering or moral wrongdoing, rather than a natural biological response. This view pushes women to face prejudice and feel shame instead of receiving support. It intensifies toward unmarried girls, as some mistaken traditions link this pain to sexual desires, prompting the family to try to suppress or hide it.

The danger of these beliefs is not limited to being unscientific; they turn a natural physical experience into a subject of moral judgments and psychological pressures, leaving a harmful impact on girls and their freedom to deal with their bodies naturally.

 

From Social Taboos to Delayed Treatment

Dr. Elaheh R., a gynecologist in Kermashan, explains the reality of menstrual pain: "Many girls visited me complaining of severe menstrual pain, but the first reaction from the mother was: 'How can an unmarried girl hurt this much?' This question in itself is a sign of those taboos that have cast their shadow over women's bodies for many long years and cause real pains to be ignored."

She explained that "in many cases, girls visited me suffering from severe ovarian cysts—cysts that were one of the main causes of continuous and bothersome pain in their bodies. But due to prejudice from those around them, these girls suppressed the pain for years, fearing that someone might form a wrong impression about their bodies or personal lives."

She stressed that this forced silence itself led to delayed diagnosis of diseases and made the treatment process more difficult: "Menstrual pain is not evidence of a girl's immorality, nor is it something that should be hidden; rather, it is a medical matter that requires attention, awareness, and breaking social taboos."