Period simulators leave Indian men screaming with pain

Since menstruation is still a taboo topic in many parts of India, as part of an experiment to normalise menstrual discussion within the country, the organizers of the #feelthepain movement took menstruation simulators to malls and colleges in Ernakulam district (in Kerala) to let men experience period cramps.

The campaign's organisers are hopeful to spark a change in Kerala, as it’s considered one of India's most progressive states.

The men in the mall were reportedly left “hollering” in pain after experiencing period pains, The Telegraph reports.

While amused women gathered to film the men’s plight in Lulu Mall, in Kochi (a port city on the west Indian coast) footage showed the participants wincing and howling in agony after strapping on the simulator.

"That was really painful. I never want to experience that ever again," says Sharan Nair, a social media influencer who tried the simulator at a mall.

The simulator is part of a project called Cup of Life that aims to distribute free menstrual cups and bust myths around periods.

It has been launched by local lawmaker Hibi Eden from the Congress party along with the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Sharan adds, women had little reaction to the machine but men, like himself, were “bringing the place down” struggling to cope with the pain.

According to Dr Akhil Manuel, joint secretary of the local chapter of the Indian Medical Association, and coordinator of the Cup of Life campaign, while women who used the machine “did not even flinch” on the highest pain setting, the men struggled with anything above four out of 10.

“The simulator only transmits 10 per cent of the actual pain,” he adds.

The period pain simulator is reported to have two wires that can be attached to two people at the same time – it also comprises a dial with pain settings from one to 10.

The experiment (a part of the Cup of Life campaign), which is a non-governmental organisation seeks to promote menstrual hygiene and break taboos in the country.

Women in India have long been excluded from social and religious events during menstruation, as periods is seen as a sign of impurity. Additionally, any discussions around the topic are also considered taboo, The Telegraph explains.

Designer of the #feelthepain event, Sandra Sunny is reported to have said, "If you ask college boys directly what they know about period cramps, they'd be reluctant to talk.

“But if you ask them questions like: 'Have they talked about periods with anyone, what makes them reluctant to talk about it?' after using the simulator, they are more forthcoming.”

According to Hibi Eden, the idea for a district-wide campaign came up after he started an initiative to donate thousands of free menstrual cups to women in a village called Kumbalangi.

Earlier this year, the governor of Kerala declared Kumbalangi as India's first sanitary pad-free village.

The Cup of Life campaign, which began four months ago is touted to be the world’s largest menstrual hygiene campaign - it ended on Wednesday, and has now entered the Guinness Book of World Records by distributing 1,00,001 free menstrual cups across 126 venues in 24 hours.

However, this isn't the first time period pain simulators have made Indian men scream, the BBC informs. Last year, two non-profit organisations reportedly used it at a period-themed carnival in the northern part of India.

Since then, period pain simulators have been used at workshops to familiarise men with menstruation.

Apparently, the idea too is not unique. In July, a US-based period product company called Somedays, reportedly encouraged men to use the period pain simulator as an exercise in building empathy.

In fact, TikTok videos from these events have garnered millions of views, the BBC said.