Periods are normal, and they shouldn’t stop you from living your best life! Here are five ways you can practice being period positive toward yourself and others in order to continue to spark change around this important topic.
Shame is inherited. It can be passed on by society, culture, and even within families. Oddly enough, it seems to be socially acceptable to define a woman’s behavior by her period. If you’ve ever been asked, “Are you on your period?” when displaying a normal emotion like anger or sadness, or when you’re simply being assertive, chances are that you’ve experienced period stigma too.
Around the world, period stigmas are seen differently depending on the culture. My own family experienced generations of period stigma. This started with my abuelita, who grew up in a convent. When she got her first period no one explained what it was, why it was happening and how she should take care of herself. All she knew is what she was taught…that her period was something she should hide.
Years later, when my abuelita had her daughters, my 4 tias and my mother, she passed down that shame. My mom told me that growing up, she watched her mom bring her sisters one-by-one into a room for a secret chat. My mom would ask her sisters what they talked about, but they wouldn’t tell her. One day, when my mom was 14 years old, she screamed in panic in the girls’ bathroom at school because she saw blood on her underwear. When she got home, she was brought into a room to speak with my grandmother, where she was taught about puberty, symptoms of getting your period and how long periods last. At that moment, it dawned on my mom that this was the secret conversation her mother had with her sisters, and now it was her turn.
Well, when my mom had me, she was set on breaking the cycle. I remember when she brought me into the bathroom with her so I could see how she changed her pad. I asked her questions, and she answered. So, when I discovered blood on my underwear, I wasn’t scared. I was ready.
Just like my mother, I want to break the silence around periods. It’s time that we stop living in a cycle of shame. Periods are normal, and they shouldn’t stop you from living your best life! Here are five ways you can practice being period positive toward yourself and others in order to continue to spark change around this important topic.
About Kat Lazo: Kat Lazo is a director, producer and host. The Colombian-Peruvian New Yorker has made a name for herself as the Internet’s favorite no-nonsense Latina who tells it how it is - in front and behind the camera. Follow her on Instagram at @itskatlazo.
Period poverty only increases feelings of shame and embarrassment by making what’s usually hidden go public. By forming community and supporting one another around periods , we can end period poverty and period stigma for all.
Learn MoreThis is not intended to be medical advice. Everybody is different so please make sure to consult your physician if you're having issues. Do not delay or refrain from seeking professional medical advice from your physician because of something you have read on this site.
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