Residents Review Oscar-Winning Documentary

"We're a Little Bit Feminist"
A Review of Period. End of Sentence

Written by Emma Skolnik (third year ObGyn resident, feminist, ally, advocate, she/her pronouns) and Alisha Olsthoorn (third year ObGyn resident, feminist, ally, advocate, she/her pronouns)

In a resource-limited community in India, “the period” once served as a pivotal moment in a woman’s life that forced her to give up the pursuit of education and succumb to a lifetime of dependence on her spouse.

Period. End of Sentence is an Oscar winning documentary about women and girls in rural India thriving on the opportunity to build a business making biodegradable sanitary pads with an easy to use machine invented by an Indian man.

The women in this film demonstrate strength in their camaraderie as they persevere to overcome male-dominated stereotypes that have suppressed their independence and voice in society. You can’t help but feel inspired as you join along their journey to bring all women in India the freedom to be heard and carry out the lives they choose. While it may initially seem as though the men in their community see this initiative as something to dismiss or take over, they actually respond with respect and admiration for the women in their community.

The inventor of the sanitary pad machine, Arunachalam Muruganantham, is a feminist ally and social entrepreneur who dedicated years of his life to perfecting the design of the biodegradable absorbent pad and the machine that makes them. His motivation came from seeing his wife gathering rags and newspaper to use during her period. His role as an ally with motivations rooted in lifting up the women in his society should serve as a reminder to all of us of the power of allyship. Many of us carry privilege and the capacity to be an ally. It is our job to educate ourselves on the marginalized populations within our own society and recognize the importance of intersectionality in our movements toward equality and inclusivity.

The introduction of the pad machine transforms period stigma into a source of female empowerment, financial independence, and pride for the women in this community. As producer, Melissa Berton, said: “A period should end a sentence -- not a girl's education!”

Okay maybe we are a lot feminist… and so is Arunachalam Muruganantham.

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