“Don’t go in to the kitchen, the food will spoil!” – a common refrain for young girls and women across rural India, and even in numerous urban households. Menstruating women are forbidden from entering the kitchen during that time of the month, and are further subjected to a whole host of other do’s and don’ts […]
If Disney Princesses Were Feminists
Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who fell in love with a handsome prince after he rescued her from (insert evil character here). The prince took the princess away to his kingdom and they lived happily ever after. The end. This reads like practically every Disney princess story since Snow White, the […]
What You Should Know About Your Partner’s Period
PMS. Premenstrual Syndrome. Also known as the series of symptoms that can turn even the most gentle lady into a snappy, irritable monster, PMS is often more dreaded by women and those around them than their period itself! Cramps, often debilitating ones, an upset stomach, bloating, sore breasts, aching legs and backs and mood swings […]
Period Poverty is an Act of Violence Against Women
When we think of violence, we typically think of physical harm. In fact, the World Health Organisation defines violence as, “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, […]
Story Of A Girl In India
The plight of young girls and women in India is hardly news to anyone. The abject poverty, lack of educational opportunities, forced child marriage and the absence of any medical or sanitary care are just some of the things that girls in India have to deal with every day. Unimaginable numbers of teenage girls […]
In Conversation with a Yogini
We sat down with Shebani Shah, a Masters in International Journalism from City University, London, originally from New Jersey. She has done a Certified Yoga Teacher RYT® from Gokulam, Mysore, India. She has trained 250+ hours in anatomy, theory, philosophy, therapy, and posture practice centered around mind-body-soul wellness at Yogadarshanam and is actively teaching and […]
4 TV Shows Feminists Can Actually Enjoy
If you’re anything like us on the GiveHer5 team, it may be impossible to find a TV show that doesn’t make you cringe, gag, or want to turn the screen off. Writers and producers alike have used sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and racism as punchlines in their scripts for far too long; Just try rewatching an […]
Can A Woman Be Sexist?
Sexism has long been a burden borne exclusively by men, but, by not attributing sexist or misogynistic behavior to women as well, we are in fact engaging in it. Women, consciously or unconsciously are almost just as likely to make a sexist remark, both towards a man, or more commonly, towards another woman. Simply because […]
Human Rights Day 2018 – The Path to Menstrual Equity
‘Nothing is certain except death and taxes’. These famous words, attributed to Benjamin Franklin can do with one addition, menstruation. 50% of the world’s population menstruates, and that same 50% needs unfettered, easy and affordable access to period products like sanitary pads, tampons, period panties and menstrual cups. That, in the simplest of terms, is […]
What Does the Moon Have to do with My Period?
In a word: Nothing. The myth of moon phases and their connection to the menstrual cycle is one that has passed down through the ages, influencing ideas of menstruation across the world. Here, we take a deeper dive into how the myth came about in the first place. Scientists have indeed found a link between […]