Flow Fessions

I started my period for the first time when I was 10 years old. I was in Tai-Kwon-Do training, and was in my white Dojo uniform… YIKES! Luckily, I was at home after training, and though my uniform was absolutely ruined, I didn’t have to experience the stigma of a menstrual blood stain in public. I’m sure that would have made the whole process 10x more traumatic! My mother was absolutely my rock, and was able to comfort me and walk me through what was happening. Mom, if you’re reading this… thank you!

I was a junior in college and started my period unexpectedly while I was in class. All I had on me was a pad, and when I opened the packaging up in the restroom it made this incredibly loud RIIIIIIIIIP noise. From three stalls down, I heard a little girl demand, “Mommy, why does she have a snack?” I’m still not sure who laughed louder, her mom or me. It was absolutely the tension breaker I needed at the moment.

 I was late to the puberty game and didn’t have much of an education when it came to actually managing periods.  I had started my period the day before a big pool party with my friends.  My parents never told me about tampons, but I knew they existed and if I wanted to swim, I needed to use a tampon.  I held off as long as possible from swimming, but when everyone else was in the pool, I went inside my friends house and snooped through every bathroom to find a box of tampons. 

I went to a Jewish overnight camp for 8 years straight and one summer I said to myself “this summer I WILL learn how to use a tampon.” I so desperately wanted to put an end to pads, and be comfortable enough to swim during the summer using a product I know wouldn’t float out into the lake. My mom tried helping me before I went off to camp, but still I was not successful. One day before lake time, I asked a friend who we all designated the group “mom” because she taught half of my bunkmates how to use a tampon at camp. She showed me how to do it and then I tried it on my own. I came out of the bathroom stall and cried out to the bunk “guys, I learned how to use a tampon!” They all clapped and congratulated me because this was my third summer trying. 

A few years ago, I was enjoying a day out with one of my close friends, who happened to be a cis man. After a nice lunch, we decided to head back to my house. When I walked into my bedroom, I realized I had just washed and dried the linens for my bed, and when in a rush that day, had forgotten to actually put them on the bed. I apologized for the pile of sheets and blankets and told my friend he could instead sit on a chair I had in my room. As I went to move the linens, I realized my trusty white mattress was visible, boasting glorious period stains and all. “Don’t worry, it’s just old blood that stained”, I assured him. As if in a scene from a horror movie, my friend stood frozen in the doorway. “Blood?” he asked, shockingly. I thought he was going to pass out. “You know, from having my period,” I laughed.