Navigating Periods As a Transmasculine Person
By Keely Miyamoto
Periods suck. For pretty much anyone. And for transmasculine folks, a period can be even more than a logistical inconvenience and physical pain. For me, at least, it can feel like a monthly reminder that things are anatomically wrong.
Strangely, I don’t remember feeling so acutely unhappy with having a period prior to coming out. Perhaps it was easier to miss when I was already in a headspace of willful ignorance toward my gender. Or maybe the ways in which I experience my identity have evolved as I’ve grown more willing to allow myself to simply be. In any case, getting a period has developed from a minor irritation to a recurring source of dysphoria.
For trans and gender-nonconforming people, dysphoria can refer to distress that emerges from a disunity between one’s gender identity and one’s sex assigned at birth or gender presentation. In my own life, dysphoria emerges in disconnections between embodiment and experience: While a period is biologically “natural” for my body, it is truly and viscerally uncomfortable to undergo.
The emotional burden of getting a period can extend beyond the week or so of actually dealing with it. Purchasing pads and tampons — “feminine products” — is a frustrating reinforcement of physicality. And, as a masculine-presenting person, this has also led to some confused interactions. For both convenience and well-being, I’ve found it easier to purchase these items online. If I can, I add them to a cart in advance to minimize the time and energy spent dwelling on the whole process. When I can’t buy products online, I’ve been fortunate to have friends willing to take them to checkout on my behalf.
In general, I’ve found a few other ways to mitigate the negativity of getting a period: For one thing, I strive to reaffirm that it doesn’t change much about my day-to-day life. Though it renders a week more mentally taxing, there is little that having a period can actually prevent me from doing. Trying to stick to my typical routines can foster a sense of calm and rhythm when I otherwise feel emotionally and physically off-balance.
At the same time, the mood swings that might accompany anyone’s period can also land me in unusual bouts of negativity. Each evening, I try to reframe these thoughts with what I call “Three Good Things.” I try to practice gratitude by picking out three things that brightened my day.
Lastly, I think it is important to recognize that getting a period does make roughly a quarter of one’s weeks tougher than others. To this end, I try to find something kind I can do for myself — grabbing a special dessert, running a favorite route, calling family or friends — that brings some comfort and joy.
About the Author
Keely Miyamoto is a second-year at Grinnell College. Keely’s passion for peer support led them to become a founding member of the Be-A-Friend Project’s Teen Kindness Board. They have also volunteered on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as well as with Grinnell’s student-run SA/DV hotline. Keely identifies as transgender and nonbinary, and, as a collegiate student-athlete, they are especially invested in representation and inclusion in sports
