The Great Awakening

Let’s start with the obvious: getting your period isn’t exactly a savasana-like experience. Sure, as a sign of fertility, it’s golden. But the monthly symptoms? Cramps, mood swings, bloating – we’d happily skip those. Making matters worse is how culture has shrouded this perfectly natural, life-giving process in shame for centuries. Enough is enough.

Today, one in five parents still say they’re not ready for their daughter’s first period, and only half feel comfortable broaching the topic, according to a survey by Thinx. Even in adulthood, a woman may find herself in an awkward situation trying to, say, tell her male manager or personal trainer why she’s doubled over in pain.

“Stigma runs deep, ” says Dr Chris Bobel, a professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. “It obscures how much we don’t know and don’t do to support menstruators.” Period shame isn’t just a nuisance; it causes harm. “I’ve taken care of so many women who did not understand their periods, ”