Periods have a lot of stigma surrounding them. Even mentioning them can make people uncomfortable. For something natural to the human species, it’s odd that it’s been marked as a taboo subject.
Before we start off properly here, it’s important to note that it’s not just women who menstruate. There are plenty of people who have a uterus who don’t identify as women, and there are plenty of people who identify as women and don’t have a uterus. But regardless of gender expression, there is an overwhelming aura of shame around the topic.
The stigma surrounding menstruation is something that’s been ingrained in human history for thousands of years. It’s always been considered a “woman’s topic” that should never be discussed outside of your close friends or, God forbid, in front of a man; it’s something that needs to be dealt with privately, discreetly, and with poise. Yikes—what an awful mentality that is.
Thanks to feminist movements and the hard work of many talented individuals, we’ve progressed a lot. As more education and resources become available, people have slowly become more receptive to the idea of talking about periods openly. That said, the work isn’t done quite yet.
Even today, when you have a period you are made fun of, belittled, ignored, or—in some parts of the world—exiled. When someone knows that you’re menstruating, you’re not taken seriously. Instead, you’re brushed off as “emotional” or “hormonal.” How often have you heard something along the lines of “looks like she’s on her period” or “I guess it’s that time of the month again”? Probably often enough to know what I’m talking about.
Although we’ve come a long way from where we started, we still need champions to normalize talking about periods. It’s a natural process; human life wouldn’t be possible without it. Still, many people are grossed out by the idea of menstruating. To those people I have one question: does your heart gross you out? What about your liver, your kidneys, or any other part of your body? We don’t shame our lungs for the way they take in air and oxygenate our blood. We don’t make fun of people with functioning kidneys. So why do we shame a uterus?
Nobody enjoys menstruating—just like nobody enjoys catching a cold or doing taxes—but it’s a normal human experience. Our bodies work in the way they do to keep us alive and help us create new life. The fact that they can do it all by themselves without any intervention on our part is actually pretty amazing. Truly, our bodies are works of art; they should be treated as such.
The stigma surrounding periods and menstruation won’t disappear overnight. Not everyone is comfortable talking about periods openly, and that’s okay. It can take time and a bit of confidence. But speaking openly about periods and challenging the status quo is what will shred the shame associated with them. The path less travelled is always the most rewarding journey, so go forth, you menstruation champion! Be open, be true, and, most importantly, be proud. You’ve got this.