What it feels like to menstruate
1. The cramps which incapacitate you, in your lower tummy pervading to lower back and thighs. It feels like the devil is using a chainsaw to rip your uterus apart. You try all kinds of position to ease the pain but none really works. And you have to put up a brave front and function like nothing is happening when you feel like a fat man is jumping on your uterus.
2. Since menstruation is a shame, the constant worry is that others knowing that you are having your period - the fear of pad leaking and blood staining your clothes. You appoint a female confidante be it in school, university or workplace and constantly consult her whether there is anything on your back especially after prolonged hours of sitting. And, if there is a stain, the lengths you go and measures you take to hide it or get rid of it will make a genius look stupid.
3. With a pad between your legs, you have to walk normally although you feel like walking like a duck - this is especially true if you wear maxi pad which is thick.
4. During your period, you wear dark clothes so that even if a stain happens, it won’t be visible. But the Malaysian secondary schoolgirl uniform is light blue and is an immediate tell tale. So, remember how we were extra, extra careful?
5. When you sneeze or cough or even laugh, you will feel the rush of blood and tissue out from your vagina and you can’t control it.
6. You take longer in the bathroom and if you have brothers and they ask you why are you taking so long, it can get awkward.
7. Your sitting position changes - you sit with your whole backside, leaning more at the back in an attempt to not let the menstrual flow go backwards and stain your clothes, by putting pressure at the back - yeah, fluid dynamics physics in application.
8. You get your monthly Psycho moments in the bathroom. Blood everywhere as you wash up.
9. Accidental masturbation. When washing your vagina clean, you direct the shower head down there and the water hits your clitoris although it’s unintended.
10. It is a nightmare if you get your period and you don’t have sanitary napkins with you - you are forced to ask from friends/classmate/
11. You get puberty talk about menstruation in school - both primary and secondary and free pads too. I got my menses by the time the talk was held in my schools so I was kinda like, “Duh, been there, done that.” It can get awkward in coed schools as only girls are herded to the hall and naturally, the boys get curious. I personally think boys should be allowed to menstruation talk in school - it will promote greater gender understanding.
12. You cannot go to the prayers room at home and temple. Yet, sometimes you forget that you’re menstruating and go to the sami room and light up the lamp, change water, do pooja. I did that many times and when i was younger, I worried that saami will kannu kutthing (god will poke my eyes) Nothing of that sort happened. That made me bold enough to go to temple when I was on periods, just to see what will happen. Nothing did and I’m all hunky dory.
13) You get to have puberty ritual done on you when you get your first period and after a week of seclusion - you’re decked up like a bride, wrap you up with a sari (you struggle to walk in the sari and feel like falling over) and are made to undergo newfangled rituals. Everyone calls you ‘periya manishi’ (a woman) when you are still a child while providing no explanation on why you bleed down there and why it hurts so much. You’re given sesame oil, raw egg and black lentils porridge to drink in that one week of seclusion.
14. You know that you are bleeding out. It’s real. The knowledge that women bleed enough to die 20 times in their lifetime makes you feel metal as fuck.
Anything else you ladies wanna add? Do so in the comment box. Anything you guys have to say, feel free to comment as well.
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