09 Sep 244 0  

Period? God Forbid!

 

Today I woke up and started my scrolling routine on every social media app I have. I opened Twitter and started scrolling down, till I came across a tweet with a screenshot from a Facebook group. Someone was asking anonymously about a hard situation that ruined his ability to think and he wanted other people’s opinion of what he should do because (His Mother) said the situation was not normal at all!

What is that situation? Okay, let me tell you, but promise you won’t lose your temper.

“Is it normal that my fiance tells me that she will not be able to go out with me because she’s on her period? She could have said that she's just tired, why the details! I told my mom and she said I have to BREAK UP with her..”

This situation brings up some questions I want to discuss with you:

1- Is the menstrual cycle “period” a swear word or an insult?

2- Is the menstrual cycle “period” a disease?

3- Why on earth did he tell his mum about his fiancee’s period?

Women in the Middle East are made to feel embarrassed about a natural monthly occurrence, and that menstruation is “disgusting” as opposed to a natural process for women.

Because of that, we end up doing ridiculous things to make sure that no one knows we're menstruating. Like hiding the pad on the way to the bathroom in a black plastic bag. Actually it didn’t start with us telling our guys about our periods, it all started with our Mothers!

A large percentage of girls, before their period, did not know anything about it, and they could wake up or be walking in the street and find a blood stream around them, and they start to freak out that something happened to her and she will die now immediately! This is because of mothers being shy and embarrassed to talk to their daughters about the menstrual cycle and what will happen in it, and only call it “the thing” or “autnie” or even just the “x”.

For example, the reason I knew about it was these (Always) ads, and the 8-hour protection from leakage, and I didn't think about what could leak other than pee!

Another reason that also led the period to become one of the taboos that we cannot talk about, lest we will be stigmatized as sluts and bitches, is that it is a sign the girl has begun her stage of puberty and is not ready for sex and fertilization officially. So that we have to keep her from men and protect her virginity “because the girl's honor (virginity) is like a match; it can only be lit once” and also because men in our society gain their honor from protecting their women’s body.

Ok, now we know what is the origin of the story, and where did the idea that periods are something that cannot be talked about come from, and whoever does the opposite of this has a bad behavior.

Now, is period actually an “insult” or a monthly disease that we should be ashamed of? The answer is of course NOT.

Menstrual cycles are vital health indicators, periods are as important to women as their heart rates. Most of us are only familiar with the fact that the menstrual cycle takes only about 3 to 7 days, but there are three other phases that happen between each bleed, during which the body goes through hormonal changes. That's why our moods, energy levels, libido, and productivity constantly differ.

After the menstrual phase, the follicular phase starts, then the ovulation phase and finally the luteal phase. It’s goal is to prepare the uterus and body to accept a fertilized egg, or to start the next cycle if a pregnancy doesn't happen. 

I mean, Periods are literally the reason why people exist. Women live all their lives around this certain cycle until it breaks at a certain age. It is a part of our identity, and we should never be ashamed of it, because this is the form in which God created us. All we are supposed to do is understand how our bodies work and not allow anyone to make us feel guilty, dirty, or ashamed of a natural occurrence in our lives.

And finally, she dodged a bullet there leaving a man who runs to tell his mom about his fiance’s -God Forbid- period.