the intersectional feminist

The menstrual cup is a wonder in itself!Made from medical grade silicone, this flexible cup shaped device has reached the echelons of avocados and charcoal ice-cream. But this miracle is more than just a millennial fad. It is a solution for most of your period-related issues. Listed below are the seven fabulous reasons why any menstruating person should turn into a cupvert:

1. It’ll not leave you with nasty rashes

Sanitary pads and rashes have a long-standing relationship!The fast drying top sheets do more harm than good. The plastic rubs against your delicate skin, leading to chafed skin and nasty rashes. Since a menstrual cup is inserted into your body, be assured that there will be no more of these rashes.

2. 9-5 coverage

The cup is sure to last from 9-5. Frequent visits to the bathroom can now be reserved only to powder your nose (if anyone really does that). Unlike sanitary pads, you don’t have to worry about changing every 3-4 hours. Most cups can collect your flow for about 8-9 hours.

3. You can EXERCISE!!!

If you are not plagued by cramps, then there’s good news for you. Dancing, running, swimming, you name it- you can do it while you’re on your period with the cup!

4. It is good for your insides!

Using a sanitary pad or a tampon disturbs the delicate PH of your vagina due to all the bleaching and chemicals involved. The cup does not dry out the vagina because of the high quality medical grade silicone.

5. Period odor? What’s that?!

The cup sits cozily in your vagina which means the blood has no chance with the air outside, unlike when you use a sanitary pad. Voila! No period odor.

6. Paint the town red. Err… Green

The menstrual cup is one of the most sustainable ways to deal with your flow.A single sanitary pad takes as much as 500-800 years to decompose. A single cup usually lasts between 0-7 years and when its life cycle ends, it can simply be ground up and used as a fertiliser for your plants, or you can contact a medical waste centre for disposal.

7. Penny wise, pound foolish? Nah!

Hard to believe? Let me do the math for you. An average cup costs Rs. 700. A pack of 30 pads cost Rs. 140 which may last upto 3 months. In 5 years, you spend Rs. 2800 on pads but if you used the cup, you would have spent Rs. 700.

A word of advice. Before switching to a cup, be sure to contact your gynecologist. Take into consideration your cervical placement and your comfort with inserting the cup into your vagina. Do reach out to other cupverts for any doubts on using a cup and make an informed choice.