What are the top three words you associate with a period? Was it along the lines of blood, sweat and tears?
For many people with periods, they aren’t exactly their favorite thing to experience every month.
We’ve all heard of the dreaded nicknames: Shark Week, Code Red or Auntie Flow. But a lack of sex education due to stigma has left many people misinformed about what a period is and what’s actually normal. So, let’s break it down.
Every 21-35 days, your menstrual cycle begins, which is when you start bleeding. Your body is releasing an unfertilized egg by shedding its uterine lining. In other words, all the nutrients and blood that were stored in your uterus to create a good environment for a potential baby to grow are being kicked out.
This phase of your menstrual cycle is just one of four, and tracking which one you’re in can be really helpful in predicting energy, mood, and fertility.
The problem is that if you are ashamed of having a period, you just won’t take the time to get to know your cycle and what your strengths are in each phase.
The other reason you’ve been subconsciously hating your period is because you’ve been lied to by society about how you should feel about it.
So, let’s debunk some of these period myths.
1. It is NOT normal to be in pain.
For the first day or two, it’s normal to feel some cramps, nausea, and, yes, even the infamous period poops. Your uterus contracts to help push that blood out of your cervix, and these cramps can sometimes make you feel like you have to poop. Some people also experience back soreness.
But if your pain can’t be resolved with rest, Tylenol and a heating pad, something is wrong. Yes, there can be some discomfort, but if it’s anything past that, advocate for yourself.
Menstrual abnormalities like an elongated cycle, excessive bleeding, and pain can all be signs that something is wrong. For years, period pain wasn’t taken seriously, and to this day, women struggle silently to find out later that they have PCOS or endometriosis, to name a few. We must stop this stigma and speak up about our experiences because being open about them can help educate others and help prevent silent suffering.
2. Your feelings are valid.
I’m sure you’ve had people accuse you of being on your period when you are having a disagreement or are expressing your emotions. Whether or not you actually were, those accusations probably hurt.
Yes, mood swings are a common symptom of periods, but that does not mean your feelings are not valid. During your time of the month, you should feel free to feel your emotions and be treated with the same respect as anyone else.
Periods might cause mood swings but so can stress or having a bad day. Periods don’t make you irrational, so don’t let anyone make you feel like that.
3. Period blood is not dirty.
This myth may be one of my most hated. How can something created from your own body to grow a human be dirty?
I think this myth is just a sexist attempt to put a halt to people’s sex lives during their periods. But news flash: it doesn’t have to.
It is actually perfectly safe to have vaginal or oral sex during your period if you are up for it. The link above has some more details on how to keep things comfortable and safe for everyone involved, but as a rule of thumb, this myth is just plain wrong.
Now, you may have noticed I used gender-neutral language throughout this story. That’s because not everyone who has a period is a woman, and not all women have periods. Her Campus UFL is catered towards collegiate women, but the fight to end period stigma goes beyond our community.
Be inclusive when talking about periods, and do your part to share your period knowledge.