There is a harmful taboo surrounding a natural bodily function, and it needs to change immediately. 

The bodily function in question is a person’s menstrual cycle, or a period.

A period is basically when a person who was born female sheds the lining of their uterus to make room for a fertilized egg. This leads to the lining and blood leaving the body. On average, this process takes 6-8 days each month.

People act like periods are a topic to avoid, something people should be ashamed of. When I told one of my friends that I had gotten my period, her smile faded and I could tell she was feeling awkward. 

This happens all the time. If you bring up the menstrual cycle, you can tell others will start feeling uncomfortable or begin to giggle, like you are a little kindergartener that said a curse word. 

But the world shouldn’t be trying to avoid periods. It should be trying to embrace them. Periods are normal. Periods are natural. 

According to WaterAid, a non-profit humanitarian organization, 800 million people are on their menstrual cycle at any given moment. People shouldn’t need to feel ashamed of something that that amount of people are currently doing at the exact same time.

Fortunately for us, the Equity For All Club at BMS is trying to change the menstrual stigma. They are currently working with Rhinebeck Schools Superintendent Albert Cousins and The Period Project, a non-profit organization trying to get rid of the period taboo, to supply pads and tampons in every bathroom in the school. 

Not only that, but the Equity For All Club is also trying to get better period products for the school. If you have ever used one, you’ll know that the pads and tampons that our school supplies aren’t the nicest quality.

Hopefully, by the beginning of the coming school year, our school will be more period-friendly, and no one will feel that they have to hide their true selves during that time of the month.