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01st Apr 2015

The photo that asks: Why is the world terrified of periods?

Rupi Kaur's photo quickly went viral

Katie Mythen-Lynch

Periods. They suck. But they happen, every month for most of us. Why then, in 2015, are they still such a big fat taboo?

This is the question photographer Rupi Kaur put to the world this week when she revealed that Instagram had removed an image she posted depicting a woman lying in bed next to a small blood stain.

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Big deal, we said. But the Instagram team had this to say…

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Responding, Kaur posted the photo again, adding: “I will not apologise for not feeding the ego and pride of misogynist society that will have my body in an underwear but not be ok with a small leak when your pages are filled with countless photos/accounts where women (so many who are underage) are objectified, pornified, and treated less than human.”

Instagram have since apologised for deeming the picture inappropriate (twice) and saying it didn’t “follow their Community Guidelines” (no sexual acts, violence or nudity) but by highlighting the reaction to the image, Kaur has succeeded in bringing menstruation where it’s never been before… out in the open.

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Topics:

periods