This archive report was first published on 29 June 2019.
Published on June 29, 2019, this article highlights the author's experience with menstruation stigma, starting from their first period in form two.
At the time, the author was confused and unsure of what was happening, but they knew it wasn't the 'blue' period they had seen demonstrated. They had a stash of free pads, but they were of no use yet.
After a few hours of ignoring the discomfort, the author visited the nurse, explaining that they had been injured in their lower abdomen and were experiencing a gripping pain. The nurse listened attentively and handed them a pack of pads and a painkiller.
'You don't understand,' the author told the nurse. 'I'm not on my period.' The author didn't use the word 'period' because it was a taboo word, and instead used a euphemism.
Looking back, the author realizes that the nurse was humouring them, and that their explanation of being 'bewitched' was a reasonable one, given their cultural background.
What still bothers the author is the stigma surrounding menstruation, a natural and essential body function without which life would cease to exist.
