Ending the Stigma and Starting the Conversation

Ending the Stigma and Starting the Conversation

1. A lot of women feel that they are viewed as unclean when on their periods. Some of this shame comes from misogyny, as many men do not understand the basics of a period. The default for men is ignorance about why women go through menstrual cycles. One progressive step is having an open conversation with our male children as well as uneducated spouses. Additionally, educated and accepting fathers would help eliminate the shame and awkwardness that can pass to girls from men.
2. To Flush or Not to Flush? Women still experience situations where they know they are not supposed to flush their feminine hygiene products, but hesitate leaving them in the trash bin; or, even worse, walking across a busy bathroom to throw it away in front of other women. Many women do not feel comfortable enough to dispose of their tampons or pads openly even in front of other women.
3. Being on your period limits your lifestyle: This means different things to different women, from not having sex to not dancing or playing sports. One woman surveyed stated that she tries to stay home on days 2 and 3 of her cycle and even plans her vacations around it. Her flow was heavy enough to wake up 2-3 times during the night to change her pad. She also had to change the bath towel that she was sleeping on often. Your level of flow also effects your fashion choices. Some women do not even attempt light colored pants or shorts during their period.