Periods Aren’t Gross, But Your Opinion Of Them Can Be
Written By Meltem Cana Etiz
Thumbnail Photo by Monika Kozub on Unsplash
Before we get into an argument of history, politics and/or morality regarding menstruation, let’s get one simple fact out of the way – you exist because periods do. Chances are that your female ancestors, including your mother, had healthy reproductive systems that allowed them to discard many eggs (but not you!). Thus, preparing an environment within themselves to further what became your bloodline and presence. Maybe I am just easily impressed by our near-impossible odds of existence, but by my book that deserves a standing ova-tion (get it?). In fact, you should probably pause right here and send a message thanking your grandma for contributing to your creation by menstruating. Go on, this can wait.
Unfortunately, too many people disagree with appreciating the menstrual cycle and hold on to outdated myths fueled by misinformation. The most common myth many people still believe is that period blood is dirty and tainted because it exits through the vaginal canal. Despite the slightly altered chemistry, menstrual blood is as “clean” as the blood you could draw from a papercut. The odour of a period is mainly that of oxidizing iron as the blood leaves our body. Metal, right? Unless there is the presence of bloodborne disease, touching period blood is no more harmful, dirty or disgusting than tending to a nosebleed. If you simply don’t like touching blood (which is fair enough), then I would kindly encourage you to react to all blood the same way without singling out an entire bodily system.
Our informed understanding of periods is important, not only for ourselves and our close ones, but also for shaping our societies to be more egalitarian. Taking a step back to self-educate on menstruation, and how many tiers of our systems are built against people who bleed, is everyone’s responsibility. In many places in the world, including Canada, menstrual products such as tampons and pads are not viewed as healthcare necessities. This causes limited financial and proximal access leading to the public-health issue of period poverty. Period poverty is the limited access and availability of menstrual products to those who need them. Period poverty, as well as the poor maintenance of school washrooms (where changing and discarding of menstrual products is difficult and unsanitary), are leading causes of girls being pulled out of school once they begin menstruation globally. Women, trans men, and non-binary people affected by a lack of sanitary products will often have to stay home from work and other engagements. Though independently operating institutions like universities, schools, and public libraries provide menstrual products for free, they are not mandated to do so by law. Additionally, access to public spaces where such products can be obtained is quite limited during a pandemic and people are often discouraged from using public washrooms. In November 2020, Scotland became the world’s first country to grant free public access to period products. I’d offer up another standing ovation, but frankly, I am busy trying not to chastise the remaining 194 countries for not already having done the same.
From a very young age, we (bleeding-folk) are convinced by media, family and cultural attitudes, school environments, and other social interactions that our periods are something to hide. Although some cultures celebrate menstruation as an essential part of creating life and maintaining a healthy body, many places and people still uphold it as taboo. All over the world, those who bleed are expected to be part of everyday labour and economic development while being banned or excluded from spiritual experiences and political decision-making. Menstruation is often the centrepiece of baseless arguments regarding hormones, emotions, femininity, and ability to perform. The double standard is laid bare when inherently patriarchal institutions and sexist individuals argue that someone who bleeds is fragile and weak, yet insist that in order to be respected they don’t have a choice but to contribute to the economy as if they don’t experience blood loss, bloating, pain, and fatigue.
Photo by Monika Kozub on Unsplash
The stigma extends to the added struggle of being transgender and being on your period. Limited understanding of gender identity and expression can lead to damaging attitudes toward trans folk who may experience body dysmorphia related to their periods. It’s crucial to remember that not all women bleed and not all who bleed are women.
Certain attitudes towards periods are so ironic they’re almost funny. We have so many entertainment, aesthetic, and health industries centred around looking for and finding a vagina in one way or another. Yet, people are disgusted with the self-cleaning feature. It’s so tragic that it’s hilarious. Especially because around 800 million people (equal to 10.1% of the world’s population) are menstruating globally at any given time. That is a large number to ignore and try to minimize at every turn.
It’s important to remember that no two periods are the same. Some periods can be light enough for a person to function as usual, and some periods can be painful enough to incapacitate someone for days at a time. As people with basic common sense and compassion, our responsibility lies in respecting and recognizing our need to be educated when we don’t have enough information and seeking out the information we need.
I would like to end my argument with two questions: does anyone else remember hiding pads and tampons up their sleeves so no one would know? Are we ready to stop hiding altogether?