Community: Real Life

Code red


Katie

Katie is a California girl interning at thesite.org in London for the summer. Back in the US, she studies creative advertising and photography.

PMS- the subject no one wants to talk about. But Katie will!

Being a female comes with a cold-blooded consequence - Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Once a month many women feel fat, emotional, and downright uncomfortable. What makes the dreaded period worse is it only affects half of the population-while the other half (men!) refuse to acknowledge it. And if they're not ignoring our menstruation mayhem, they're openly disgusted by it - that PISSES ME OFF!

Wake up boys; real men can handle a little bit of blood.

As a young girl, the beginning of my menstrual cycle was seen as a rite of passage. The girls at school who got their periods first were thought to be more womanly. Now in my 20s, I've learned from many squeamish men that apparently there's nothing feminine about one's monthly flow. Although my first period may have symbolised womanhood, the hundreds that follow are considered bloody disgusting -literally! So each month as women's 'roses are painted red by Mother Nature', our faces also become crimson with frustration.

To the majority of men, a woman's period is the Lord Voldemort of femininity; like the Dark Lord mustn't be named, our period mustn't be discussed. Ever. Because it's 'gross'. However, during this time of the month our emotions are raw. The sudden rush of hormones leaves us yearning for any outlet to express ourselves. Yet dare mention PMS or Premenstrual Tension (PMT) in front of our sexual counterparts and all sympathy will be denied. Some men are as quick to end menstrual complaints as a punctuation mark can end a sentence. 

And you wonder why we're so bitchy during the peak of our cycle? Aside from the week-long hell we physically undergo, our fire is fueled by those who refuse to acknowledge it. Wouldn't you be a bitch too if you had to deal with cramps and people who deny the existence of PMS? What's more, our period (code red, as I call it) is only worsened because it's made into a social taboo. 

The root of the problem lies within the expectation of women in society. As women, our job is to embody everything that is beautiful. We must be flawless. Likewise, most men expect us to be the same when our 'monthly gift' arrives. Menstrual acne attacks? Unacceptable. Monthly migraines? No such thing. Hormone-induced tears? Can't happen! Wake up boys; real men can handle a little bit of blood. And if you can't handle PMS then you can't handle us. The truth is women are not flawless, we are human. Expecting us to be period-free and perfect is unrealistic. If people continue to maintain this mentality, then we will continue to disappoint you and ourselves twelve times a year.

It's time for men to start appreciating us for who and what we really are. Periods define us as women. They tell us our bodies are healthy and capable of reproduction. Menstruation is what keeps the circle of life cycling on. In fact, without bleeding out, there would be no need to let you in. So learn to appreciate us during this sacred time of the month instead of shooing us away. If we want to vent: let us. If we want to cry over nothing: let us. If we want to smack you over the head with a saucepan: OK, maybe that's taking it too far. But the point I'm making is it's hard enough for us to deal with our situation without men being able to as well. So do us a favour and learn how to put up with us. I know that men will never get what it's like to experience a period, and I'm not asking you to. All I ask is for men to be more understanding, or at least pretend to care. After all, none of you would be here if it wasn't for our periods.

Updated: 29/06/2011


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