In India, discussing female health is still considered taboo, and menstruation is still a significant stigma. Many still wrap sanitary pads in newspapers, and men feel shy and embarrassed when asked to buy them for the women in their lives. Radhika Madan, the star of Saas Bahu Ar Flamingo, recently opened up on an episode of The Male Feminist with Sidhartha Aalambayan, sharing how her experience growing up with a brother was different.
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Radhika Madan recently shared her experiences with menstruation and how it was never stigmatized in her household on a recent episode of The Male Feminist with Sidhartha Aalambayan. She spoke candidly about how her mother and father never treated periods as a taboo subject and instead, educated both her and her brother about it from a young age. As a result, Radhika never felt embarrassed or ashamed about her menstrual cycle, and instead, was able to openly discuss it with her family.
She shared that even when she ran out of pads, she would ask her brother to get them for her, and when she would have stains on her outfit due to her period, her brother would let her know and help her fix the situation. This openness and education about periods in her family helped her become comfortable with her body and led to a positive outlook on menstruation.
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As a child, she was quite rebellious, often questioning her parents’ rules and pushing back against them. This meant that her elder brother often bore the brunt of their parents’ anger and discipline, as he was the more obedient child and the first-born. Radhika never simply obeyed her parents’ rules and always had a curious mind, asking why certain things were not allowed and why others were. This questioning attitude led her parents to realize that some of their rules were unnecessary or arbitrary, and they eventually began to let Radhika do some of the things she had previously been forbidden from doing.
Radhika’s close relationship with her brother also meant that she felt comfortable discussing personal topics like menstruation with him, without any stigma or shame. This upbringing has clearly shaped Radhika into a confident and independent person, unafraid to speak her mind and challenge societal norms.