For people who menstruate, the fear of leaking through their clothing causes major anxiety.
We go about our daily business as normal when on our period, but feel a sense of uncertainty at all times.
If I wear these jeans, will my period seep through? Will doing that cause more blood to come out? If I sit on that chair will I leave a stain?
Though the only blood not borne of violence or illness, period blood is thought of as dirty.
It comes from the human body just the same, but it comes from a woman’s body, specifically a woman’s reproductive system – so it’s seen as different.
SWL asked Rachel Grocott from Bloody Good Period where she thought the shame originates.
She said: “Big advertising campaigns (say) that we should buy products that have got rustle free wrappers, and its part of how we’ve been conditioned as people who menstruate, that this kind of stuff it just shouldn’t be talked about.
“And that’s kind of crazy because it’s a normal, healthy bodily function, and if we can’t talk about it then we can’t get the information and the support that we need.”
Read the rest of this interactive story here.
