At any given moment, roughly 300 million people in the world are menstruating. It is one of the most common biological processes on the planet and a normal part of the reproductive cycle. Yet despite how common it is, periods are still treated like something embarrassing that should be hidden, whispered about or avoided entirely.
So why are they?
Part of the answer comes from how menstruation has been framed culturally for centuries. Throughout history, periods were often misunderstood and surrounded by myths. Ancient writings described menstrual blood as dangerous or contaminating, claiming it could spoil crops, rust metal or harm animals. While those beliefs have long been disproven, they helped create a lasting cultural narrative that menstruation is something dirty or undesirable.
Those attitudes did not disappear overnight. Instead, they evolved into the quieter forms of stigma we see today.
Many girls experience this stigma for the first time in school. A lot of people remember the quiet panic of needing a tampon or pad and trying to sneak it out of their backpack without anyone noticing. Instead of simply carrying menstrual products to the bathroom like any other item, they get hidden in sleeves, pockets or the waistband of a hoodie. Even asking a friend for a tampon often happens in a whisper.
These behaviors might seem small, but they reflect something bigger: the unspoken rule that periods should not be visible.
Language plays a major role in maintaining that secrecy. People rarely say the word “period” directly. Instead, they use phrases like “that time of the month” or other euphemisms. While these phrases might seem harmless, researchers note that avoiding the word itself reinforces the idea that menstruation is something inappropriate or shameful to talk about.
Another reason period stigma persists is because it is often used as a way to undermine women. One of the most common examples is the way menstruation gets used as an insult. If a woman expresses frustration, disagrees with someone or simply has an opinion, it is not unusual for someone to respond with, “Are you on your period?” The implication is that her emotions or perspective are not valid because they are supposedly driven by hormones rather than reason.
It is an easy way to dismiss someone without engaging with what they are actually saying.
The irony is that the logic behind this insult makes no sense. Menstruation is a normal biological function that most women experience for decades of their lives. It is literally part of the reason human life continues to exist. Everyone’s mother has had a period. Many people’s girlfriends, sisters and friends have periods. Yet something so universal is still treated like a weakness.
Stigma also has real consequences beyond awkward conversations. According to UNICEF, misinformation and embarrassment surrounding menstruation can affect education. In some regions, girls miss school during their periods because of stigma or lack of adequate sanitation facilities. When something natural is treated like a secret, it becomes harder for people to access the information and resources they need.
Ultimately, periods are still treated like a secret because cultural attitudes toward women’s bodies have historically framed them as something that should be controlled, hidden or sanitized. Menstruation challenges those expectations because it is visible, physical and unavoidable.
Normalizing periods requires changing those attitudes. That starts with simply talking about menstruation openly, teaching accurate menstrual education and making menstrual products accessible in public spaces. It also means recognizing when periods are being used as a joke or insult and refusing to treat them that way.
Periods are not embarrassing, unnatural or shameful. They are a normal biological process. The more openly people talk about them, the harder it becomes for stigma to survive.
Sources:
Making period stigma history. (2021, May 28). UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/mena/stories/making-period-stigma-history