Indian born, London bred Kiran Gandhi is better known as the feisty drummer of M.I.A. This time the 26-year-old Kiran hit the news for something entirely different. She ran the London marathon while bleeding freely, sans tampon, staining her running pants. Although Gandhi did receive some positive feedback, she was also faced with an equal amount of backlash from both genders, some calling it “disgusting as fuck.” Others agreed with her motives, but claimed that there “are other ways to raise awareness” or accused her of attention-seeking.
After training for a year, Kiran Gandhi woke up on the morning of her race with severe cramps and immediately began to weigh up her options. “It was an obvious choice for me to run without a tampon, I wanted to run in a way that was most comfortable – I was about to run a marathon.” She also said that it was absurd and oppressive that she should compromise her wellbeing, just so that other people didn’t feel “grossed out”. “As women, historically, we have always had to prioritise the comfort of others at the expense of ourselves,” she said.
The past year has seen movements based on ‘female body’ like #FreeTheNipple movement but more and more is being centered around menstruation. Gandhi says. “Society is more than happy to talk about our breasts, but then they don’t want to talk about things that are not for their social consumption. Gandhi says that she also wanted to run without a tampon to raise awareness of women who do not have access to menstruation products. She talks wanted to run for those who do not have the money to buy tampons and have to hide their period away, feeling humiliated. In India many women cannot afford tampons and sanitary pads. She describes a personal email she received from a young homeless woman, who found dealing with her period one of the most difficult aspects of poverty. “She told me, ‘Kiran, when you ran I felt like you were running for me’. And that is epic.”
Since her run, Kiran has been performing and raising money with Thinx, a company that develops stain and leak resistant underwear that you can don during your cycle without a need for a tampon or towel. She wants people to shake off the shame of their period and put themselves first. “My message is not that all women from now on bleed freely – my message is that everybody should feel safe and empowered enough to make the choice that’s best for them.” Bravo Kiran Gandhi!
Run Gandhi Run…
Run Lola Run…
You Run…
Me Run…
No hindrance but flowFul Seamer, a Drummer…
God Shareef salutes her innoCent vulnerability 🙂 🙂 🙂
Kya aapke andar ki God ke paas, ek affordable TAMPON hai???
Can a homeless woman be educated enough to send a personal email? Would she have access to computers? Kiran is telling white lies that so and so woman sent an e-mail to her.
This is disgusting..Tampons may be uncomfortable but there is a “sanitary” pad for an obvious reason!! Its more comfortable for running & more hygienic than getting herself exposed to sweat & bacteria!!! & a homeless woman found access to a computer & email!!! lol
Hmmmmmm
Ye bhi theek hai Anon & SG.
Khair chalo itti intricacies mein bhi mat ghuso.
Thoda story ka bhi mazaa lo baba…
Badi badi heroines PUBLICITY KI KHAATIR momme daav pe lagaa deti hain.
Sunny ki Kasam!!!
Iss bechaari ne to bina kuch dikhaaye, bas kuch kehne ki koshish hi to ki hai.
Ab email aayi, nahi aayi, Hamaare Rishi Baba Kapoor pata lagaa hi lenge…
KambaKhat Kiran. Publicity ki bhookhi. Gandhi kahin ki.
Huh…
Aapki God Shareef,
Jissko kisi tampon pampon ki zarurat nahi hoti.
Eeeeeeeeeeee….
Me Free Birddddddddddd…
Leone ki Chatni bikkti hai bas.
With all due respect, I have seen homeless people in public libraries napping, reading and sometimes using emails. People are homeless for different reasons including mental illness, financial difficulties, being kicked out of their family etc. I have even sat at a wedding reception across a former “homeless guy” who wandered the streets for two years. I have even seen decorated military guys rolling their wheelchairs beside the road because there is no where to sleep and nothing to eat. World is a stranger place than you think.
Too much crap is being passed off under the garb of feminism. It is unsanitary the same way as running with poop filled pants would be.
I’m beginning to wonder where she actually puts her tampon generally if she thinks it’s uncomfortable!!!
Also, a homeless person contacted her, ok. But why her??
“For the next race, she is going to poop in her shorts and run like that to raise awareness for people who don’t have a proper toilet or sanitary conditions to defecate in!”
Amazing how these so-called highly intelligent people (well, a degree from Harvard etc.) are able to manufacture whatever warped logic they can think of to give consent to actions they feel justified in doing. Being a woman does not give you a pass to be a disgusting human being, besides you do nothing to help “your cause” but come off as dirty and a little mental.
Unlike ‘poop’ and ‘pee’ your menstrual blood isn’t something you can hold back and wait until you reach a public restroom to use. If you are so ignorant, that you can’t see the difference, than I pity you.
Tampons are known to be rather unhealthy, some years ago there was even a health advisory regarding them. As for sanitary napkins, they can barely hold it together during normal activities leave alone athletic ones. Can we please stop being childish about menstrual stains, please? Its tough enough for young female athletes already without the judgmental public shaming.
Great.. Taking a dump in the middle of the road is liberation… Dogs do it, so why can’t and shouldn’t we??
lol.. Kiran Gandhi has finally replied!!!
As a feminist, I think she has a point. I think it was a brave thing for her to do. Why so much objection to menstrual blood or a photo of female celeb not shaving her armpits, but nothing in relation to twerking or freeing the nipple? Its because women have become so sexually commodified in the public domain that even so called feminist statements have to conform to sexualized depictions.
The only difference between wearing a tampon/napkin and this is that others would be unable to see the menstrual blood. When we wear napkins, the blood still sits there touching our private parts, often for three hours or more. If that’s ok, then what’s wrong with it slipping to running pants instead? The problem lies only in the eyes of the people.
Realdeal…Thank you so much for that. Sometimes I wonder if people are so unaware of how the female reproduction system works. Unlike ‘poop and pee’ menstruation is not a controllable bodily function. You can’t hold it in, it follows its own schedule….you can’t control when it starts, you can’t stop it when it starts, and you don’t know how heavy/light it would be. Wish people, especially men understood this. Ignorance in this case is not OK.