''Hush hush, stop talking about your periods!” Isn’t that all we hear?
I was eleven when I first noticed the shame around periods. My mom asked me to pick up pads for her, and when I paid, the shopkeeper wrapped them in newspaper before placing them in a bag. Confused, I asked my mom why. She simply said, “It’s normal, but not everyone thinks so.”
That moment stuck with me. As I got older, I realized how much silence surrounds menstruation. Girls whispering about needing a pad, women hiding cramps — periods were treated like something to be ashamed of. But why? Half of the population experiences periods, so why should it be such a secret?
Periods are natural, and normalizing conversations about them is crucial. When we talk openly, we empower girls to embrace their bodies, allow women to seek help for period-related issues, and shift the narrative from secrecy to support.
When my periods had just started, barely two months in, I was still trying to navigate the unfamiliar experience, constantly on edge because of the heavy and unpredictable flow. I found myself checking my pad every 30 minutes, terrified of staining my crisp school uniform. During back-to-back geography lectures one day, that familiar unease crept in again. I desperately wanted to ask the teacher if I could go to the washroom, but I hesitated. “How many times do you need to go?” she might ask, and the thought of her reaction made my heart sink. I was too embarrassed to say, “I’m on my periods,” too scared to explain why I felt so uncomfortable. Instead, I sat there in silent dread, consumed by the fear of a stain, wishing I could just speak up without feeling judged or ashamed.
Moments like these make it clear: if we openly talk about periods, we can make things better for everyone. Imagine if, in that moment, I had felt confident enough to simply say, “Ma’am, I need to go because I’m on my period.” Maybe it could have sparked a change, making it easier for me and my classmates to address our needs without shame. After all, what’s so embarrassing about something that’s so normal?
Now, I talk about periods without hesitation. I don’t hide pads, and I don’t whisper about cramps. I’ve even stopped worrying about the dreaded “stain.” If it happens, I remind myself it’s just a part of life. And if someone notices, I say, “It happens. It’s normal.” Just like I tell the shopkeeper, “Bhaiya, rehne do, yeh toh normal hai!” when he wraps pads like they’re some sort of secret, we can start being unapologetic about stains, too. A stain isn’t the end of the world — it’s biology, and it happens.
Breaking the stigma starts with small steps. Talk about periods like you’d talk about the weather. Teach kids — boys and girls — that periods are just biology, not a secret mission.
Bust myths, drop the shame, and laugh off the awkwardness. The more we talk, the less taboo it gets. Let’s make periods as normal as chai breaks — because they are. Period.
