BREAKING THE CRIMSON CODE
Breaking the Crimson Code dissects the language surrounding menstruation and examines its historical context in relation to both Africa and the West. This exploration is particularly significant as Africa has been profoundly affected by colonialism and the pervasive mindsets that accompanied it, often under the guise of "western development." These influences have been deeply embedded with themes of religion and capitalism, shaping societal attitudes and perceptions not only for African women, but women globally.
The menstrual cycle is frequently shrouded in silence due to cultural discomfort, social customs, or simply a lack of information about the topic. This silence often results in a pervasive sense of shame and stigma surrounding menstruation, which is a universal issue. The use of inappropriate, incomprehensible, or negative language only serves to further entrench this stigma. For example, a survey conducted by the International Women's Health Coalition and the app Hello Clue, which included responses from 90,000 women, revealed over 5,000 euphemisms for menstruation.
This phenomenon of obscuring the term "menstruation" through euphemisms and coded language is what I refer to as ‘The Crimson Code’. The process of employing these euphemisms contributes to the ongoing stigma and misunderstanding surrounding menstruation.
In my project, I will delve into the historical interplay between medicine, religion, and misogyny and how these factors have shaped contemporary social norms affecting menstruating individuals. I will analyze recent advancements made in Wroclaw over the past few years, particularly focusing on the creation of safer spaces for discussions on period poverty and the implementation of active measures to address period poverty in public spaces and high schools.
I will use this information to formulate a proposal for Tanzanian contexts, aiming to draw parallels and identify ways to address similar issues. My goal is to explore how we can leverage these advancements and possibly return to and integrate traditional practices and cultural roots to make progress in tackling period poverty and related social challenges in Tanzania.
My journey will begin in Poland as I travel throughout Europe in the summer of July 2024, following this I will progress with my research in Africa across Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Zambia. This project is aimed to be completed in April 2025.
