Periods Are Not Shameful!

We need to unlearn the idea that menstruation is something shameful. For the longest time, I thought the silence and discomfort around periods were long gone until a recent experience made me question it. I make it a habit to keep a menstrual pad in every bag I carry. Partly for emergencies, partly because I’ve always imagined being able to help another girl in need. It feels like one of those small acts of solidarity.

One day, I was standing outside a packed lecture hall. There was no space inside, and the heat outside was intense. I reached into my bag to get a pen, and a pad became slightly visible. A girl nearby noticed it. The look she gave me caught me off guard. It was the kind of look you give when something feels out of place, like I brought a glock to class. Before I could react, she reached into my bag without asking and tried to push the pad out of sight. In the process, she damaged it and touched the inside, making it unusable. I just stood there, stunned. What unsettled me the most was not even the ruined pad, it was the reaction, the discomfort at the sight of a pad and the need to hide it so quickly.

Many of us have been taught to feel this way. I remember being younger and feeling embarrassed to buy pads. I would wait until the shop was almost empty before speaking. If the seller was a man, it felt even harder. Saying it out loud felt like saying something I wasn’t supposed to say. Even then, the pad would be wrapped in layers of nylon and handed over like it was coke.

This kind of silence has consequences. When periods are treated like something to hide, people hesitate to talk about what they’re experiencing. The abnormalities are brushed aside. Things that should be checked early are left until they become serious.

Menstruation is a normal biological process. There is nothing inappropriate about it. Carrying a pad should not feel like carrying an illicit drug. A lot of this comes down to how we are taught. For many girls, the first conversation about periods comes with fear instead of understanding. It often stops at warnings, with little attention given to hygiene, body changes, or when something might be wrong. That needs to change. Girls should be taught what is normal, what is not, and encouraged to speak up when something feels off. Normalizing periods starts with small things. Talking about them openly, not hiding pads like they are something shameful, and making it easier for people to ask questions without feeling embarrassed.

We have carried this mindset for too long and it’s time to do better.