Why are periods such a taboo topic?
The period stigma and how shaming women’s natural cycle puts us all to shame
It blows my mind that we grew up thinking that periods are something to be embarrassed about. If you think about it, they are the most natural thing, and almost half the population of the planet experiences them once a month. ONCE A MONTH. For several days! Yet we treat them as something shameful and we keep quiet about them.
If you don’t feel ready to read about this subject, please feel to stop reading now, as there are some graphic images and descriptions in this article.
“Beliefs that stem from period stigma feed into further stereotypes that are weaponized to keep women from achieving upward social mobility. The most common stereotype associated with period stigma is that women are irrational, overly emotional beings. Period stigma can come in the form of jokes, or accusations that a person is PMS-ing or menstruating if they are perceived as behaving in a sensitive, sharp, or aggressive manner.”
Stanford education
Stereotypes like these establish the idea that women should not be taken seriously, especially when feeling negative emotions. They create a barrier between male and female, making it difficult for women to be themselves or express their feelings. The worst part is that these stereotypical ideas became shared views we’ve grown up with. I used to think periods should never be talked about and never mentioned at work. However things are changing now, as more of us are starting to question the way things are and we are starting to look at the way things could be. We are questioning the unspoken rules that have ruled over us for decades.
“The majority of menstruators are women—although not all women menstruate and not all menstruators are women. Menstruation is typically framed as a normal, natural biological process, but at the same time, it is also framed as a process that should be kept private or secret—particularly from boys and men.”
National Library of Medicine
If we hide something so regular and important from everyone around us, are we not constricting ourselves? By hiding behind old-fashioned ideas that menstruation is something shameful, we carry on the stigma for the next generation. If we want to change things, we need to create space for open conversations with boys at an early age, establishing periods as something normal and natural. Would it be so difficult to change the way we approach the subject so everyone feels knowledgeable about it and prepared for it? It’s certainly not a subject anyone can avoid, regardless of their gender identity. It happens–regularly–to so many people around the world.
“Men often view PMS as an excuse women make use of to avoid unwanted tasks or to excuse emotional reactivity.”
National Library of Medicine
I can’t highlight how absurd this view is. I’ll give you a very relatable example as to why. If you fall and scrape your knee, you’ll be in pain, maybe even bleed a bit. So I’d like to put what occurs during menstruation–in scientific terms–for any readers who might need a reminder:
“When pregnancy doesn't occur, the egg is absorbed back into the body and the thick lining in the uterus is shed, this is your period[…] For some women this can be so overwhelming that they are unable to go about their normal lives.”
The Royal Women’s Hospital
So imagine the scenario (if you’ve never experienced it first hand) where you are in pain, bleeding and shedding pieces of your body. It’s not pretty. It doesn’t feel like a typical day. It’s absolutely horrible to describe. Just because it happens monthly, doesn’t mean it’s tolerable. The pain is real (not for everyone of course, but for some people it can be very intense). Yet they have to go about their daily lives pretending that everything is fine, that they feel none of it. The worst part is that daily life is already overwhelming. Can you imagine feeling this way whilst standing in the Tube? Or during a long client meeting where you are facing a lot of pressure, anxiety and possibly a lot of critical questions. Can you imagine going through life, wishing that your period doesn’t come earlier, or while you are wearing lighter colours?
I’m aware that this is just scraping the surface. I don’t need to go much deeper in what it feels like because it comes down to each person and how they experience it. What I’m aiming to do is start a conversation. Perhaps in the end, we’ll all be a little more understanding with each other.
I’m hoping we are working towards a future where women can openly talk about their periods. One where they are allowed the choice to work remotely on the first two (and worse) days of it. One where sanitary period products are provided at the workplace and also public places. One where we are not scared to mention that we are in a lot of pain so we might need to adjust our daily routine a bit to accommodate for it. That’s the future we should be working towards. That’s the future we need to establish for the next generation. A where periods are talked about, normalised and taken into consideration.
Things to explore this week
💪 Into Action is a movement of designers, illustrators, animators and artists building cultural momentum around civic engagement and the issues affecting our country and world.
💬 Nice and Serious worked on a non-commercial, passion project called The Period Conversation, to raise awareness on the impact the menstrual cycle can have on mental and physical well-being.
❤️ Dezeen published several period-related projects including: a smart menstrual cup that tracks periods automatically, modibody’s first period kit and Dame’s reusable tampon applicator.
