I didn’t face any problems at home when I got my period.
On the contrary,
My parents explained everything to me.
I would even ask them to buy me sanitary pads and painkillers.
They were understanding.
My problem was with how society perceived it.
Why is it wrong for people to know?
Why is it something to be ashamed of?
Why do we use euphemisms such as “I got you-know-what,”
Or “Did you get it?”
Or “Has it shown up?”
Why am I not allowed to go to church when I’m on my period?

That was the thing that felt the most humiliating,
Even though I had no say in it.
There were a lot of justifications,
The most important of which,
Is that the blood is not clean.
I didn’t understand what was meant by not clean.
It’s blood like any other blood.
And even if it isn’t clean,
Why is it my fault?
Am I the one that made it unclean?
They say one of the reasons,
Is that women during that time are filthy.
Why should I be considered filthy,
Because of something I didn’t choose?
God created something,
And made it happen to me.
That makes me filthy?
How could you see God as a beautiful supreme being,
But think his creations are ugly and filthy?

There’s also the justification,
That it’s a sexual thing,
And is related to the development of the female body,
And that sex is taboo,
So we have to hide while doing it,
Even if we’re married.
There are a lot of other ignorant and narrow-minded claims.

Year after year,
I started doing all the things society considers wrong.
If I was in pain,
And someone asked me what was wrong,
I’d tell them,
“I’m on my period,
And I’m in pain.”
If I’m irritated or aggressive,
I’d say,
“Sorry, I’m PMSing.”
I go to church and pray while I’m on my period,
Because I’m sure that if you create something,
You’ll never think it’s filthy.
If someone asks me if I need something from the pharmacy,
I tell them that I need sanitary pads,
And give them the exact brand and name,
So they don’t get mixed up.