When you started your period…did someone say something about becoming a woman??
The day I got my first period, I thought I was dying because what I saw in my underwear didn’t look like what I expected a period to look like. I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, but it didn’t look good – I convinced myself I had cancer.
Not wanting to worry my mom, I decided to hide the evidence. But when she noticed I “wasn’t myself” and asked what was up, I burst into tears and told her the truth — I was dying.
In her no-nonsense way, she reassured me that wasn’t the case.
Instead, she told me, “It just means you’re a woman, now.”
Hold up. ✋🏼
Telling me that ALSO made me feel like I was dying a little — like the dirt-digging, fast-running, tree-climbing, wild dancing parts of me had to die — because the women I knew didn’t do that stuff. It made menstruation feel like the end of free-spirited fun and the beginning of boring drudgery.
Fortunately, I’m ok.
But, the more I hear from girls and moms about first period stories, the more convinced I am that this same dialogue I experienced many years ago is still happening today.
So can we work together to reframe that conversation for the girls in our future? Let’s help everyone have a more realistic understanding of not only what a period IS, but what it means.
When she starts her period, she’s NOT a woman.
Instead…
- She is healthy.
- Her body is normal and doing what it is supposed to do.
- There is no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed.
- She has a right to honest and accurate information about her body and how it works.
Most of all, she is still a girl who shares this process with millions of other girls who all manage to have periods AND carry on with all the more important things they do in life. THAT’S a superpower!
If you’re looking for some assistance providing positive messages and practical tips for new or soon-to-be menstruators, we have tons for our members. Our class, Confident About Periods is a great one to watch together! Give it a try and let us know how she’s NOT a woman. 😉
Did you know Girlology has grade-by-grade playlists listing on-demand video and downloadable content to support her and you through the entire journey? Learn More
