生理和信仰的冲突:月经的宗教禁忌
我知道讨论这类传统会很难,但是,如果我们不能正确认识它们,歧视就会永远存在。
Netherlands, Western Europe
Story by Shakila Dhauntal. Translated by Lina Bell
Published on July 18, 2022.
This story is also available in
在历史的长河中,大部分宗教都或多或少地将女性的经期排除在外,并把来月经视为“不洁”的行为。[1] 去年,我在网飞上看了一部关于印度被污名化的月经的纪录片。在片中,一个印度女性走进寺庙,说出了一个我深感共鸣的疑惑:“我们日日参拜的女神也是和我们一样的女人,所以我不明白为什么不让处于经期的女性进入寺庙。”[2]
在月经期间,我被排除在宗教活动之外
我遇到过两种关于月经的禁令:经期的女性不能进入寺庙,不能参加宗教仪式。有些地方的女性在月经期间不能做饭、洗澡、触摸她们的丈夫,甚至不能住在她们自己的房子里,因为有些人相信经期的女人会带来恶魔。这些关于经期的戒律让女性感到艰难和不适,它们模糊了私生活和公共事务的界限,并且暴露出一系列问题,包括性别不平等、阶级和权力边界的问题。比如说,如果一个女性没有帮忙准备宗教仪式,大家就会推测她应该是来月经了。这就将女性置于一种尴尬的境地,因为她没有权力来决定要不要将此事保密。很有趣的是,女性们会很委婉地说:“我帮不了忙”,其实她们可以帮忙,只是她们不被允许来帮忙。女性的身体可以被定义为纯洁或者不洁,这揭示了男女之间的不平等关系。女人是脏的,而男人是干净的、纯洁的。
作为一个生活在荷兰的苏里南-印度社区中的印度人,我在月经期间不能参加任何宗教活动。几年后,我报名参加了印度传统舞蹈的课程。在上课的时候我遇到各个年龄段的女性,在和她们的交流过程中,我开始反思“不洁”这个概念。我和支持或反对此概念的女性都有过讨论。如果地上有一条线,你身边的人不断地告诉你这条线不可跨越,那么你终其一生都不会越过这条线,即使它已经看不清了。在交流的过程中,我认识到,羞耻是我们后天学到的一种情感,而女性不应该为自己的生理功能感到耻辱。
我们不应该教给女孩要为什么感到耻辱
月经是展现了女性身体活力的正常生理过程,是人类生殖系统的一部分,没有月经,人们无法继续繁衍后代。仅凭月经就将女人排除在正常的生活和宗教活动之外,并且对男性并没有相应的“纯洁”要求,这是很不合理的。我知道讨论这类传统会很难,但是,如果我们不能正确认识它们,歧视就会永远存在。这种习俗需要改变。
若想了解更多关于月经禁忌的信息,您可以继续阅读Chandra Bhadra 和 Pabita Timilshina 关于尼泊尔的“不可触碰”的性别的故事。
[1] Bhartiya, A. (2013). Menstruation, religion and society. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 3(6), 523.
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