Abstract
In this chapter Sharifi looks at menstruation as an analytical framework for understanding the socio-cultural construction of female sexuality in the Iranian context. She shows how religious discourses, scientific discourses and socio-cultural perceptions of female sexuality shape women’s approaches to their menstrual body. Sharifi argues that for the 1980s generation the role of educating young girls has shifted from their mothers or older female family members to religious education and hygiene classes in schools. Consequently she describes a change in performing traditional customs such as the ritual of slapping amongst the younger generations.
By applying De Certeau’s concept of ‘tactics’ (1998), Sharifi shows how instead of directly challenging the shame of publically discussing menstruation, by creating codes the younger generation appropriates the taboo for their own benefit.
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Notes
- 1.
Les règles is a French term for menstruation, which seems to be commonly used amongst women of the 1950s generation. Many of the 1950s women I interviewed used the term.
- 2.
My mother also remembers her aunts using ‘ khâk-too-sari ’ as a code for sex: ‘last night khâk-too-sari kardeh [instead of saying ‘she had sex last night’]’.
- 3.
In Persian the verb ‘kardan ’ (to do) is used for men’s actions in sexual intercourse, while the verb ‘dâdan’ (to give) is used for women.
- 4.
A jalase is a women’s religious meeting held at home. Women ‘formed jalaseh circles around female preachers of their choice’ in order ‘to deepen religious understandings’ (Torab 2006, p. 32).
- 5.
Ritual ablution, in which the body is completely immersed in water (Torab 2006, p. 253). This ritual is not only limited to women and menstruation, as both sexes should perform the ritual after sexual penetration and men after ejaculation.
- 6.
In Islamic jurisprudence, ‘ heiz’
is the blood the female body discharges during menstruation.The term is also used to describe menstruation in religious texts. - 7.
For example, avoiding sard [cold] foods such as vegetables, fish, yogurt etc.
- 8.
Ramadan: Month of fasting for Muslims.
- 9.
‘ Suhoor’: an Islamic term referring to the meal consumed early in the morning before starting the day’s fast during the month of Ramadan. The meal is eaten before ‘ fajr’ or dawn. Suhoor is the morning meal and ‘ Iftâr’ the evening meal.
- 10.
Pride is a popular car manufactured by Kia. I have also heard that some people call it ‘period’.
- 11.
This phrase means: ‘It’s our inalienable right’. She was making a joke by referencing the state’s slogan of having an ‘inalienable right’ to peaceful nuclear energy.
is the blood the female body discharges during menstruation.The term is also used to describe menstruation in religious texts.Bibliography
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Sharifi, N. (2018). Narratives of Menstruation. In: Female Bodies and Sexuality in Iran and the Search for Defiance. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60976-8_5
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