Pooja Bista is an explorer, seeker and practitioner from Nepal. She is the creator of Untold Period Stories, which aims to shift the narratives surrounding periods through arts, storytelling and education.
Articles by Pooja Bista
Tackling Taboos and the Fear of Using a Menstrual Cup
In many cultures and societies, individuals with vaginas are accustomed to thinking that touching and peeking at their genitals is inappropriate or that taking ownership and autonomy of our own body and pleasure seems a whimsical story. The way we are constantly lectured about our bodies has informed our ideas and attitudes around sexual and reproductive health, particularly menstrual health. I live in Nepal, where menstruation has been, and still is, a taboo. A few years ago, I signed up for the social networking platform Clubhouse, where I joined virtual ‘rooms’ where people talked openly about menstruation and menstrual cups. Being a newbie to menstrual cups while at the same time advocating their use, I felt proud and excited every time I shared or heard people talking about it.