Wednesday 09-03-2022 - 09:00

 

“Periods are gross!”  

Correction, what is gross is the attitude some people have towards menstruation. Individuals who menstruate should not be shamed for a natural bodily function, just as people who find themselves having irregular cycles should not be made to feel bad or “broken”. 

People who bleed do not ask for it, and some of the effects that come with periods can be really hard to deal with amongst everyday life challenges. 

There shouldn’t be stigma around periods; they're not dirty and most certainly should not be kept secret or not spoken about in front of some people... Why should something so normal feel so taboo and inappropriate? 

We should be proud of our periods, and we should feel confident in talking about what it is like to be a person experiencing them.

 

So, what are the side effects for some people who have periods?

Pain such as ovulation cramps in the abdomen, the result of the womb contracting to push blood out. This pain can be bearable, but sometimes it is so strong you could be doubling over in pain. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are advised to help, and there are also new products out that help soothe the area with heat. 

 

 

Heavy periods: sometimes periods can be super heavy, and even the most absorbent sanitary products don’t stop the bleed through, resulting in a leak. This can be embarrassing and extremely uncomfortable for the person experiencing this. Imagine having to deal with that whilst attending lectures or work?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) linked to the changing levels of hormones. This can usually start 2 weeks before menstruation begins. So even before bleeding, symptoms such as mood swings, feeling depressed or irritable, headaches, tiredness, bloating and breast tenderness can be happening.

Many individuals who have periods have had to be excused from PE, take sick days from work, and often have lied about the reason for this. The fact that there is discomforts about being able to tell another human that you are on your period and experiencing bad symptoms is sad. Nobody should have to pretend something else is wrong with them, so they don’t feel shamed, or they don’t embarrass the person they are telling, especially if it is someone who doesn’t experience periods. 

 

So how can we stop the stigma of periods being shameful?

 

Talking about the problems that come with having periods.

We can check some of these off, as discussed above... Periods aren’t always as simple as losing a little bit of blood each month. Do some research; there is plenty of information out there.

 

 

Stop hiding your period products. 

Gone are the days of hiding your sanitary pad up your sleeve. Period products are nothing to be embarrassed about; they are vital and if you are lucky enough to have them, stop hiding them because period poverty is real.

 

 

Use the correct terminology.

Let’s not shy away from saying it as it is; enough of the ‘Monthly Visitor’, ‘Mother Nature’ or ‘Code Red’, to those who have periods... We aren't saying you shouldn’t joke about your period or call it something else like ‘Monsterating’. What we are saying is that we shouldn’t call periods or menstruation something else because we are ashamed or feel uncomfortable using the scientific and obvious words around others.  Also being scientifically correct with our terminology makes our needs clear to others as menstruating individuals. 

Sometimes widely used terminology could be better worded; for example ‘Feminine Hygiene’; this is usually the section in the supermarket where you find sanitary products... The word hygiene heightens the stigma around periods being dirty and it would just be easier again to say it as it is. This is something supermarket chain Asda has decided to do, and they have changed their section to “Period products”. This is obvious, clear and reminds everyone that periods do exist, they're natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Check out the article here ASDA Praised For Changing The Name Of Its 'Feminine Hygiene' Aisle

 

 

Now that we have you thinking about periods, we encourage you to start talking more openly about them. And if you're someone who doesn’t have periods, learn, ask and be a good ally to those who do, let’s support not shame. Let’s be period proud together  

Thank you for reading, have a bloody good day!