The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
For those of you who menstruate, I’m sure you’ve found yourself in a situation where you’re in a classroom, or any public setting, and you feel this tremendous fear, as you reach for the pad in your bag. You wonder, “How can I take it out without being seen?” or “Am I being judged, is this gross?” I’m here to tell you, you shouldn’t be ashamed!
Take that pad or tampon out freely, periods are not gross! Periods are a natural biological process that some of us experience, and it doesn’t make us freaks of nature. Pads, tampons, and other period products deserve to be visible because once we stop hiding them, we can let the shame instilled within us go. I’ve spent far too long taking time out of my day to make other people “comfortable” by hiding my pads, but that ends today!