We whisper about periods because that’s how we were taught. Some families call it “the curse.” Some workplaces pretend it doesn’t exist
The Pink Tax. That lovely little system where women’s products, especially menstrual items, are priced higher simply because they’re marketed to women
Let’s Talk About the Bleeding Obvious. No, seriously, let’s talk about it. Periods. Menstruation. That “time of the month.” Call it what you want, half the world goes through it, but we still speak about it in hushed tones, like it’s a secret too scandalous for polite company.
It’s 2025. Women are launching rockets, leading countries, running companies, winning Nobel Prizes, and yet, many still feel the need to sneak a pad up their sleeve like it’s contraband in a high-security zone. The irony? We can bleed for seven days without dying, but society still acts like a single mention of menstruation will make people faint in horror. It’s time to break the silence. No more tiptoeing around the bleeding obvious.
We can order groceries with a swipe but say “menstruation” in a room full of people and watch them squirm like you dropped a live snake on the table. Charming, right?
So, What Is Menstruation?
Menstruation is a completely natural, biological process that happens as part of the menstrual cycle, typically once a month. It’s the body’s way of preparing for pregnancy. The uterus builds up a lining to create a cozy space for a potential fertilized egg. But when pregnancy doesn’t occur, that lining is no longer needed. So, the body sheds it through the vagina. That’s what we call a period. Sounds simple on paper, right? In reality, it comes with a whole ensemble of symptoms: cramps that can knock the wind out of you, fatigue, mood shifts that make you cry over a burnt toast, headaches, breakouts, bloating, and an urgent need for chocolate. Some breeze through it. Others feel like their body turns into a war zone every month. Menstruation isn’t shameful. It isn’t dirty. It’s not an inconvenience to apologize for. It’s biology, powerful, essential, and experienced by roughly half the planet. So why do we still talk about it like it’s a scandal?
“Are You On Your Period?”
Let’s address the biggest conversational landmine of all: “Are you on your period?”
No. I’m just sick of your nonsense. This question is rarely asked out of genuine concern. It’s a lazy way to dismiss someone’s emotions as irrational, a shortcut to invalidate feelings. When someone uses menstruation as a scapegoat for anger, sadness, or passion, they’re essentially saying, “You’re not actually upset. Your uterus is.” Imagine telling a man mid rant, “You must be producing too much testosterone.” It would be weird, right? So why is it okay to reduce women’s emotional spectrum to a menstrual cycle? Spoiler: it’s not.
Period Ads vs Reality
Period commercials are in their own cinematic universe. Picture this: a woman in white pants is laughing while skydiving, kayaking, running up hills, and twirling in slow motion. Apparently, a single pad has turned her into a Marvel superhero. Meanwhile, in real life, many of us are heating up water bottles like it’s a sacred ritual, shoving chocolate in our mouths, praying not to sneeze too hard, and mentally calculating if we can make it through a meeting without leaking. The reality is periods can be debilitating. For some, they bring crushing cramps, nausea, headaches, and emotional dips that no “ultra-thin-with-wings” ad can fix. But because ads glamorize periods and society expects us to keep smiling through it, we don’t get the rest we need or deserve.
You can’t normalize something by faking its reality. Bleeding Shouldn’t Mean Hiding
Most of us learned about periods not in a science class, but in awkward whispers.
Remember that moment when you had to ask a friend for a pad? You didn’t just say, “Hey, do you have a pad?” Oh no. It was a full covert operation, hushed tones, subtle handoffs, and an elaborate “tuck it up the sleeve” manoeuvre before heading to the bathroom like you’re smuggling illegal documents.
We whisper about periods because that’s how we were taught. Some families call it “the curse.” Some workplaces pretend it doesn’t exist. In school, boys snickered while girls were taught “how to deal with it,” as if it were a crime scene in your underwear.
This silence turns into shame. And shame becomes generational. The Price Tag on Periods
Now, let’s talk money. Periods aren’t just inconvenient, they’re expensive.
Let’s break down the math. Pads, tampons, heating pads, painkillers, and hygiene washes... it adds up.
The Pink Tax. That lovely little system where women’s products, especially menstrual items, are priced higher simply because they’re marketed to women. Even worse? In some countries, these essentials are taxed as luxury items. Luxuries. Like perfume or designer handbags. As if bleeding out of your uterus is a glamorous indulgence.
I don’t remember ever booking a five-star period.
Period Poverty Is Real
While many of us grumble about overpriced pads, there are thousands- yes, even today, who simply can’t afford them. Period poverty isn’t just a distant problem; it’s happening in schools, communities, and homes around you.
Some people resort to using tissues, rags, or even newspaper. Many girls miss school during their period because they don’t have proper sanitary products. Others suffer infections and long-term health issues because hygiene is a privilege they can’t afford.
It’s not just a health crisis. It’s a dignity crisis.
Menstrual products aren’t a luxury. They’re a necessity. Just like soap or toilet paper. So why are they not freely available in schools, public restrooms, and workplaces?
We Bleed and Hustle
By our twenties, most of us are juggling adulting like clowns in a circus: rent, relationships, careers, side hustles, mental health, and periods.
We’re expected to show up to interviews, presentations, dates, and boardrooms while bleeding internally like it’s just another Tuesday. Period pain isn’t accepted as a valid reason to take a sick day, so we learn to mask it with caffeine and eyeliner.
If we say we’re too tired or too sore, we’re seen as weak or “dramatic.” But the truth is, people with periods are absolute warriors. We’re out here crushing goals while dealing with internal carnage every single month.
We don’t need pity. We need understanding.
We Need Change, Not Comfort
Talking about periods isn’t about making people uncomfortable, it’s about making the world less uncomfortable for those who menstruate.
Make pads and tampons free in public spaces.
Stop taxing them like they’re optional.
Stop expecting women to grin and bear it.
Start educating everyone, not just girls about menstruation.
And for the love of all that is holy, stop asking if someone’s on their period when they dare to show emotion. Final Flow
To every twenty-something who’s ever bled through their clothes, sat in a meeting with cramps that felt like death, cried in the bathroom out of sheer frustration, or had to pretend they were “fine” when they were anything but, you’re not alone.
You’re not dramatic. You’re not overreacting. You’re living through something that half the world experiences, and you shouldn’t have to hide it. So, let’s drop the euphemisms. Let’s bleed loudly. Let’s educate. Let’s normalize. Let’s fight the pink tax. Let’s hand a pad to a friend without whispering. Let’s turn “that time of the month” into a time for awareness, not shame.
It’s not gross. It’s not weak.
It’s human.
And if anyone still finds that uncomfortable? That’s their problem. Not ours.
