COMMENT | The new flower power
COMMENT | Looks like we have stooped to a new low and we have become threatened by flowers. It seems so strange that one of nature's most beautiful features, with all its colours and shapes, can be so disruptive, that it can challenge the faith of some of the most steadfast prudes in the country.
I never thought that I would find myself writing about a marketing campaign, but here we are - and what a genius marketing campaign it turned out to be. I absolutely applaud the team at Libresse for not only coming up with an important education campaign that is both timely and appropriate, but also for accompanying it with an artwork that is, in my opinion anyway, quite beautiful and tasteful.
I mean, they are flowers! Vulvas as a part of a flowering bloom is really just pointing out the obvious, isn't it? We all learned the anatomical parts of a flower in primary school. Where the stamen is and where the pistil is. That in the pistil is the plant's ovary. And how both self and cross-pollination works.
And yet, does it even cross anyone's mind that when you give someone a bouquet of flowers, that you are handing them a nicely arranged bunch of a plant's reproductive organs?
Of course not! But this is what it has come to. That some people can look at a...
COMMENT | Looks like we have stooped to a new low and we have become threatened by flowers. It seems so strange that one of nature's most beautiful features, with all its colours and shapes, can be so disruptive, that it can challenge the faith of some of the most steadfast prudes in the country.
I never thought that I would find myself writing about a marketing campaign, but here we are - and what a genius marketing campaign it turned out to be. I absolutely applaud the team at Libresse for not only coming up with an important education campaign that is both timely and appropriate, but also for accompanying it with an artwork that is, in my opinion anyway, quite beautiful and tasteful.
I mean, they are flowers! Vulvas as a part of a flowering bloom is really just pointing out the obvious, isn't it? We all learned the anatomical parts of a flower in primary school. Where the stamen is and where the pistil is. That in the pistil is the plant's ovary. And how both self and cross-pollination works.
And yet, does it even cross anyone's mind that when you give someone a bouquet of flowers, that you are handing them a nicely arranged bunch of a plant's reproductive organs?
Of course not! But this is what it has come to. That some people can look at a straightforward biological function, and decide that their selective morality outweighs the educational value that the opportunity brings.
Again, hats off to Libresse for sparking the conversation. Yes, women and girls need to get to know our v's. It is crucial that we start having open conversations about feminine hygiene and break the stigma that periods are a dirty subject. Importantly, and I really don't know if this is the intention of the conversation or just a happy coincidence, it is important to talk about how we are not be ashamed to be among people who menstruate.
Menstruation does not make us any less beautiful, less worthy or less dignified. We do not need to be or deserve to be hidden from the world just because we have periods. Yes, sometimes they are painful and for many of us, it hurts a lot - but no woman or girl should ever feel so ashamed that she feels that she needs to endure that pain alone instead of seeking help. No woman or girl should be punished or shamed for seeking help.
As much as it was alarming that period spot checks among schoolgirls had splashed our media headlines a few months back, it should come as a grim realisation that many women were not actually surprised. In fact, they shared that this disgusting practise has been a "tradition" that had been going on in boarding schools all over our country for years.
That is how long girls have had their dignities outraged and shamed into silence. And that is how long the authorities have not taken their plights seriously. Even today, there is no outright directive to ban period spot check initiatives. Instead, there is now a "mechanism" to "complain" if these things happen.
Reproductive organs
Flowers play an important role in all cultures. They have special significance in birthdays, weddings, funerals, etc. We use flowers to express love and happiness, as well as support and sadness. Flowers have inspired poetry, music, fashion, paintings and many, many other works of art. We put them in our gardens and they brighten up our homes. We see flowers as flowers - and not as plant reproductive organs.
Similarly, we need to see women and girls as dignified human beings whose potential can and should be nurtured to flourish in every aspect of human life - and not as sex objects.
And let's not kid ourselves that this only happens when people see drawings of vulvas. We have heard the same arguments when people see a woman's skirt just touching her knees. I have even heard someone tell me that I should wear long-sleeved blouses because some men get turned on by elbows.
As serious as the issue is, fixing it is not difficult at all. Boys should not be brought up to perceive girls as sex objects, and girls should not be brought up to be ashamed for existing. Gender roles, behaviours, attitudes and expectations are a result of human interaction and we can choose to deconstruct and reconstruct a more dignified world for women and girls.
It all starts with conversations, which I am really glad to see, remains vibrant on this subject. The more women speak up, the more that other women see that they should not be ashamed of who they are. Social media timeline walls filled with flowers have also brought immense joy to me. But yes, keep the conversations going!
MAJIDAH HASHIM is a human rights defender.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
