A decade ago, we could say this only in a hushed whisper to a select group of girlfriends. Has anything changed today?
All through my teens, I suffered from something I call ‘period horror’. It included taking a sanitary napkin to the school washroom in an exceedingly discreet manner, and being appalled if it slipped out of my pocket and landed on the floor in full public view. It also involved making sure the wad was stuffed in a landfill-friendly plastic bag when being bought, calling it ‘chums’ so the world wouldn’t know you had your period because ‘Ew!’, and choosing hara-kiri over stained jeans if given a choice.
Having a period was embarrassing, gross, shameful. Period.
Cut to 2017. The predominantly all girl Grazia gang is animatedly discussing all things menstruation. It doesn’t matter that the predominantly all-male crew of an autocar magazine sitting next door can overhear every word. Confessions and horror stories spill out – one talks of how she used a cloth pad for years because store-bought ones were too expensive, another narrates her experience with a storekeeper who when questioned on why he was insisting on packing the sanitary napkins packet in an opaque bag offered a barrage of offensive comments, ranging from “You have no respect for our culture” to “Why parade what you are shameful about”. One speaks about how she still carries her tampon to the bathroom discreetly because she’s socially conditioned to do so, and another speaks of the horror of blood-stained clothes.
I started this story thinking that period talk is pretty normalised today. My male friends might joke about ‘that time of the month’, and while I do understand it doesn’t carry any misogynistic undertone, I also know that men are known to use this as a weapon too. I can ask to take a day off citing period cramps, but then again, I have a female boss.
Esta historia es de la edición August 2017 de Grazia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 2017 de Grazia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
STRAIGHT-TALKING
Designer Urvashi Kaur writes about her commitment to a more inclusive and sustainable future of fashion built around her community
FANTASY & THE FAMILIAR
Author Leigh Bardugo on creating a believable world and writing fiction inspired by history
BELLE OF THE BALL
As the popular show is ready to release its third season, costume designer John Glaser and make-up artist Erika Okvist share their insights on bringing the characters of Bridgerton fo ife
IN TREATMENT
What mental health experts want you to know about therapy beyond CBT and, well, Instagram
MEDIEVAL TREASURES
Jaipur's new crown jewel, the Museum Of Minakari Heritage, is a tight little promise of pleasure
HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
Key womenswear trends from the 1960s are doing the rounds on our feeds, and have even made it to our summer mood boards. We unpack the opposing forces shaping this redux
YOUR PERSONAL OASIS
If a well-deserved break is what you need, then this property is perfect for you
IN HER ELEMENT
If Elisabeth Moss didn’t already ho. an extensive filmography, he has now added a spy show into the mix as well. As Moss delves into the realm of action with FX’s The Veil, the actor reveals how she got under the skin of her character
EMBROIDERED TO PERFECTION
Ancient Indian myths and their modern reinterpretations reign supreme at the Venice Biennale this time
A SWEET SLICE OF GLAM
It’s the season of beaches, sunning, and summer plans and this resort ensures that your TLC and your parties are all under one roof