Taboos surrounding menstruation make it difficult for women to talk about our periods, often leading to silence, shame, and misconceptions. The same is true for discussions on racial issues. In Malaysia, we rarely hear about racial violence, yet ethnocentrism and racial tension are inconspicuously present in our country.
I was 18 years old and serving in the Malaysia National Service programme when I encountered a traumatic incident. Late one night, the female trainees and I were ordered to wash used sanitary pads from the disposal bin as part of a ritual meant to expel an evil spirit, following a case of spirit possession. The scariest thing about the incident was neither the possession nor the unwashed pads, but rather witnessing how the relationship between our interracial friends was torn apart by the constructs which were supposed to unite us—education, cultural beliefs, and legalism. Since then, I have questioned my place and responsibilities in my country.