Men – Missing in Menstrual Management Design
Year: 2015
Editor: Amaresh Chakrabarti, Toshiharu Taura and Yukari Nagai
Author: Murthy, L.
Institution: 1Vikalpdesign, Udaipur, Rajasthan and 2Industrial Design Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
Section: Brief Podium Papers
Page(s): 340-347
ISBN: 978-1-904670-60-5
Abstract
Few men have dared to tread into the arena of menstrual management design. A biological phenomenon – a body expulsion unique to women, menstruation is connected to every man – through his mother, sister, wife, daughter, niece or aunt and yet it receives little focus. This paper tracks two sides to the story. The first side illustrates instances where men have not applied any creativity to menstruation management design and the consequence of this. The second side shows cases where creativity has been applied and how this has had a positive impact in improving women’s health. We focus on one movement in Southern Rajasthan, India, the Surakshit Mahwari Abhiyan or Safe Menstruation Campaign, that has the participation, sensitivity, creative contribution and support from men - critical components that are urgently needed but are still missing in the area of designing for women’s needs.
Keywords: men, menstruation, creativity