Once I heard the siren-call for period blood to be naturalised, I began to think of various other biological realities. These realities have come to define our daily existence – but for some reason or the other, one has to pretend that they don’t exist.
Or that women don’t participate in these at all.
Like sex, for example. But that is already an ongoing conversation.
What hasn’t yet found its way into feminist propaganda is that women too pass gas! Yes, you read that right. We fart.
It’s definitely not the most desirable thing in the world to be sitting in a room full of people, the very picture of poise, and then suddenly, ‘Pop’ you go!
Of course, it’s often not just the sound; there is a very real possibility of gases stinking up the room – enough to make you turn beetroot in confusion. If you’ve entirely lost your wits, you might be seen rushing out of the room.
Why is it acceptable, and even cute, when men fart? And why is it uncivilised, and un-ladylike for a woman to do the same?
I farted the other day in front of my husband. I mean, I had done that several times in his presence over the five years that I have known him, but this was the first time that I actually stank. We were in our small, air conditioned apartment, and I had surreptitiously broken wind! The room had little ventilation, and gosh! How heavenly it smelt!
My husband pointed out that I had farted. He tends to not beat about the bush. And although I was initially overcome with embarrassment, and tried denying my part in the crime, I soon saw that it was futile. There was no one else in the room (at least not to my knowledge) who could have done the deed.
So I owned up.
And I realised, that I couldn’t for the world of me imagine why we cannot accept farting – especially in women – as natural and real. There is no shame in letting that balloon out of your bodies, ladies! Let the world know you’re for real!
(Surangama Guha Roy is a film enthusiast. She also writes on social trends, loves to read, and takes an interest in teaching as a profession.)
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