[GirlySports]

Religion, menstruation and mass ignorance

LAST Wednesday, I was in conversation with a few of my acquaintances who were in the process of 'running a boat', that is, pooling funds for the purpose of preparing a cooked meal for themselves.
Most of the men were poorly educated but street-sharp in many matters. They were mostly uncertified construction workers who took jobs when they were available at rates as low as $1,200 per day. They were basically good people trying to do the best with what life afforded them.
I cannot recall by what route the topic arose, but one man, probably in his late 30s, mentioned food, women and menstruation, in that exact order, and said that he would not eat cooked food from a woman who was having her monthly period.
For a while I was hard-pressed to accept the fact that I was in the 21st century. When three other men agreed with him I couldn't help but intrude somewhat stridently in the conversation. "Gentlemen," I said, "do you really mean what you are saying and if so, why?"
The argument was, the woman was "unclean". I nearly blew a gasket. I removed the gloves.