* This blog will contain content that may be unsuitable for younger readers under the age of 13 and will be discussing themes of menstruation and sanitary products used worldwide *

As you might've guessed from the title and disclaimer, today we're going to be discussing periods. Some of you might be sitting with wide eyes and raised brows, unsure of whether or not you should keep reading, but I can assure you this is an opinion piece that will discuss the ins and outs of periods and why so many people are too ashamed or shy to discuss their flow.

I was in a chat earlier today talking about tampons and pads and PMS and all that other good juicy stuff when a male doll made a comment about how he thought the topic should be changed. Why should we as women on a site for girls, dominated by people who have periods, have to change a topic and feed into the male patriarchy that has existed since the beginning of time?

Women bleed. It hurts. We deal with it. So why is everyone so afraid to discuss their flow? Why is the topic so risque? 

Those of you who know me know I'm the first one to start talking about which pads I like, which tampons scared the living heck out of me when I first started using them, or other less commonly used menstruation inventions like the cup. Most of us on this site have to cope with a period, so why not discuss it?

A male friend of mine going into the nursing field once asked me if a pad was like a bandaid that you tape over yourself to hold everything in. That's DISGUSTING, right? Can you imagine how horrible that would be? Isn't it ridiculous that someone going into medicine didn't understand how a pad worked? I was horrified he wasn't better educated on the subject and quickly explained to him the ins and outs of sanitary products. After that bit of information, I think it's safe to say that he was horrified.

We shouldn't have to hide something that's natural and completely normal. We should be allowed to discuss it, or not discuss it, at our own discretion. People are ashamed, people are shy, people think it's not socially acceptable to discuss the flow, but isn't that all a mental constraint?

What do you think about this topic? Do you have any weird period stories you'd like to share? Have you ever just wanted to rant about the pains of having a period? PLEASE speak up and let me know what you think!