Periods are a natural and healthy process for nearly half of the global population, so why are they stigmatized? With support from the Connecticut Alliance for Period Supplies, a program of The Diaper Bank of Connecticut, Humans With Periods’ mission is to raise awareness about period stigma and period poverty in Connecticut.
Lets Talk About It. Period.
Our discomfort in discussing periods prevents us from having the critical and necessary conversation about period poverty. Through this Google Form, we care collecting stories about people’s experience with periods from all around the state. We want to hear your story. Share below.
Join Us In The Fight To #EndPeriodPoverty
Uncomfortable & Disruptive
I can attest from that lack of period supplies can be extremely uncomfortable and disruptive in daily life. Discomfort and sometimes pain is so pervasive that it becomes unable to ignore, not allowing me to fully participate in sports, or preform to my best ability at school. Also, a new anxiousness arises where I am afraid I will face the aforementioned humiliation that is perpetuated by period stigma.
Of course, these inconvenient experiences were ones where I simply forgot my products and temporarily was without access. Thousands and thousands of menstruating individuals put their life at risk when they do not have the supplies they need at hand.
– Anonymous Female, 14 – 18 years old
Discount My Feelings
Have you ever experienced any form of period stigma?
I’ve always felt as through someone was using this stigma to discount my feelings instead of recognizing or validating them.
– Anonymous Female, 20 – 24 years old
I Was Afraid To Ask
There has been times where I was in high school and I would just get on my period. I didn’t have access to pads and I was always afraid to ask because I would feel awkward. It wouldn’t necessarily impact my ability to complete my activities, but it did affect my confidence.
– Anonymous Female, 20 – 24 years old
No Pude Ir A La Escuela
En algún momento de mi vida no pude ir a la escuela porque no tenia como comprar lo necesario.
English Translation: At some point in my life, I ouldn’t go to school because I couldn’t afford to buy what I needed.
– Anonymous Female, 31 – 55 years old
People Weren’t Taking Me Seriously
When I was 26 I experienced dysfunction uterine bleeding, which was like a very long and unbelievably heavy period. I bled almost uncontrollably for a week straight, going straight through the most absorbent tampons and pads within an hour. I went to my provider’s office three times that week, and each time I was sent home and told that “it would stop in a couple days.” People weren’t taking me seriously, and thought that I just didn’t understand my heavy flow (which, in fact, I was quite aware of, given that I had always been a heavy bleeder during my menstrual cycle). I finally went to the ER on my 7th day of bleeding, with my heart racing and my body feeling like I was going to collapse. When the nurses began running tests, they found that I had lost over half of the blood in my body over the course of that week. I was admitted and had three blood transfusions to replace what I had lost. Had anyone stopped to take the time to truly pay attention to what I was saying – I know my body better than anyone – they might have been able to help me and prevent the trauma that eventually occurred.
– Anonymous Female, 31 – 55 years old
Eww, Really?
In middle & high school, there was a lot of stigma as there wasn’t enough education about it. Recently I started using reusable period products and I told someone and the response was along the lines of eww, really? There is still not enough (education) about reusables. Reusables can help with waste and with period poverty and I think awareness should be increased regarding options.
– Anonymous Female, 31 – 55 years old
So Much Pain
I would be in so much pain and have a heavy flow that I couldn’t go to class or work in fear of being in discomfort and frequently having to go to the bathroom.
– Anonymous Female, 20 – 24 years old