The IMA set up a period pain simulator facility at the Lulu Mall, where several people came forward to experience menstrual cramps.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden along with participant at Feel The Pain event. (Instagram/aggieprakash.exe)
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden is making waves on social media with a campaign at the Lulu Mall in Kochi, Kerala, that lets men get a taste of what women experience every month when they get their periods.
Called “Feel the Pain”, the experience has been set up in association with the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
So far, several people have come forward to experience menstrual cramps, and have posted videos of it on social media.
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The event was held as part of “Cup of Life”, an initiative by Eden to promote menstrual hygiene and break taboos.
Period-pain simulators are electronic devices that recreate pain levels experienced by women during menstruation.
At the centre are Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machines, designed to relieve pain.
However, when turned up a notch, they can create intense, debilitating discomfort for whosoever uses them.
“Painful in a very irritating way,” said Eden, who himself took the test.
“I once read somewhere that in American Sign Language, the sign for having your period is basically punching yourself in the face… today I found out what this joke meant [sic],” said an individual named Agrim Prakash on an Instagram post.
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“I will never be the same again,” said another user.
Speaking about the “Cup of Life” campaign, Eden told South First: “In our society, there are many misconceptions about menstruation. Women go through a hard time during the cycle. I set up sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators at 150 government-aided schools. But, there was an issue with the napkins, as they clog drains.”
He added: “Menstrual cups are a better option, but many people are not aware of them. Also, sensitisation [about them] is very low. So, we have started this ‘Cup of Life’ campaign to create awareness. And the ‘Feel the Pain’ event was one such awareness programme.”
Menstrual cups are an eco-friendly alternative to disposable sanitary napkins.
Eden said he aims to distribute free menstrual cups to more than 1 lakh beneficiaries in his constituency within 24 hours as part of the Cup of Life campaign.
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