Find out why it’s time to join the menstrual movement
WORDS | Victoria Stokes
How comfortable do you feel discussing your period? For even the keenest over-sharers among us, menstruation is a topic that often remains strictly off-limits. Even if you’re happy to chat about cramps with your closest pals, there have undoubtedly been times in your life when you’ve felt embarrassed, maybe even ashamed, about having your period around others. Perhaps you always hide a tampon up your sleeve when hot-footing it to the loos at work, or you use a hushed voice anytime you need to ask a mate for a pad.
Maybe you’ve felt absolutely mortified upon discovering a period stain on your jeans and find yourself cringing anytime you have to discuss your monthly flow with a friend.
The good news? Times are a-changing and in recent years we’ve seen a (crimson) wave of period positivity.
WORK OUTS AND SPEAKING OUT
Numerous sports stars, from Scottish middle and long-distance runner Eilish McColgan to tennis player Heather Watson and sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, have spoken candidly about how periods affect their sporting performance. It’s a refreshing change to hear women talk so candidly about something we’ve been experiencing since the dawn of time.
Meanwhile, at Wimbledon, bosses have agreed that female players can now wear dark-coloured underwear, forgoing the traditional white ensemble, to reduce anxiety around menstruation.
You might not be an athlete competing on the world stage, but you’ve likely noticed that your relationship with menstruation has changed recently as well. Not only is it less taboo to talk openly about your period, these days you can find multiple ways to care for yourself during your time of the month too.
Gone are the days of period product ads featuring blue liquid. From femtech apps that help us understand our cycles to eco-friendly period products, like menstrual cups and period pants, period care is no longer one-size-fits-all.
All of these developments are creating a more positive conversation around periods. No longer are they a bodily function shrouded in shame and secrecy, but a normal and natural part of our physiology to be shared, explored, and even celebrated.
BREAKING THE STIGMA
One woman leading up that change is Afsaneh Parvizi-Wayne, founder of Freda Health, a company that provides natural and organic period care products (myfreda.com). “Taboo and stigma equal unmet needs, and if you can’t talk about periods, there will always be an invisible barrier to true gender equality and opportunity,” she says. “The veil of shame and embarrassment around period
