I have yet to encounter a woman who hasn't experienced anxiety related to period stains during menstruation. The constant need to check for any spotting is an integral part of the menstruation experience. I wonder if there's any girl who has never faced a period stain! Not to my knowledge.
Is there really a problem with having a period stain? Not inherently. The problem lies in the shame associated with being exposed about one's period. It's when somebody whispers in your ear, "Hey, you've got a stain on your dress," or "Hey, there's a stain on your skirt. Here, take my jacket and wrap it around your waist to cover it."
Why should a stain from a normal bodily function be associated with shame and embarrassment? Why must it be looked at disgustingly?
The shame associated with period stains often begins when a girl gets her first period and is advised by her mother not to talk about it to anyone and to keep it a secret.
I remember once I was out for a work meeting, and as I was leaving the office building, someone at the reception asked me if I was on my period. Then, she pointed out the stain on my clothes. I was completely devastated and angry with myself for not being careful enough! I immediately called for a cab, rushed home to shower. The shower was more to wash away the feeling of shame and embarrassment rather than the stain!
Surely, every girl has had a similar experience and has felt the same shame, embarrassment, or anger.
Why can't we just normalize period stains? Why do girls have to be ashamed of something biological and completely natural? Why must women live in fear of leakage? Why must boys in schools laugh at girls when they have a period stain?
Shouldn't boys at school be educated about this natural phenomenon and be sensitised to it so that their laughter doesn't deepen the feeling of shame and embarrassment in girls but instead makes it seem like a normal part of life?
The fear of period stains is a symptom of a larger societal issue. By promoting open discussions, educating individuals about menstrual health, and challenging the taboos surrounding menstruation, we can create a world where women no longer have to live in constant fear of a natural and vital aspect of their lives. It's time to embrace menstruation as a normal and healthy part of being a woman, free from the constraints of shame and embarrassment.
Let's talk openly about periods. It's time to accept that periods are a normal part of every girl's life and that there's no secrecy surrounding them.
Let's normalise period stains. Period.