Dealing with Period Stains in Public
The secret on the best way to deal with period stains
Dear menstruating people: y’all know what I’m talking about, right?
Dealing with ‘the stain of all stains, the mighty, one and only, Period Stains.’ Her highness (yes, it’s a she) makes an appearance anywhere and everywhere.
Today, I’m going to tell you, how to deal with it, once and for all. No, I’m not talking about tips and tricks to hide the stain, how to wash them off, or how to delude people into believing that it’s just ketchup.
So dive in with me to find out the best way of dealing with period stains.
The Common Dilemma
Women all over the world and their mothers have embarrassing stories related to the topic. Right from young girls in their teenage to office going, working divas and the lady bosses.
Remember the countless number of times you had to ask your girlfriends to take a nice look at your rear to check for stains or try to look backward to check for yourself for any signs of stains?
Yes! We’ve all been there, done that.
The Common Measures
But weren’t you extremely careful? I believe you were. You took precautions. In spite of all the ‘ultra protection, XL, Max-Secure, High tech with wings’, the damn stain shows up. Not to mention all the planning, strategizing, scheduling, and tracking that you do preparing for your menses.
- Planning: What outfit to wear (no light shades a week before and after), what diet to follow (very crucial), appropriate work out plans (certain exercises need to be avoided like Inverted Yoga Positions)
- Strategizing: What events to attend, who to meet, who not to meet
- Scheduling: Date nights, vacations, travels, events, and Pujas (big deal here in India)
- Tracking: Whether it’s on time or late, too early or too late, signs of bloating, inflammation, and tenderness. Tracking availability of the stock of essentials such as tampons, cups, pads (also doing the flow rate math), heating pads, painkillers, and of course, ice-cream
Short Story Alert
So one fine day, this happened to me:
I remember coming out of the auditorium after a business conference, having long-haul discussions with my colleagues, on the way stopping for pani-puris, when my female colleague quietly whispers in my ear informing me about the big red very clearly visible patch of blood on my dress (to the rear).
And there ran a gush of embarrassment in my mind. What was I to do? I had no scarf to hide it. There were no restrooms around. 50 people probably already saw it. OMG.
At that moment I thought to myself that it wasn’t something new, it had happened before. 10 times. Too many women I know and that, it was OKAY! It is absolutely fine. So what if my dress was stained. It’s only natural. And it’s beautiful. I’m beautiful.
Thus, I let go of all discomfiture. And owned the rest of my walk to the hotel room like Beyonce.
The Ultimate Solution
So there you have it. That’s how you should deal with your period stains, by embracing its presence.
Accept that your period stains aren’t a stigma. Stop being ashamed.
We women, do everything in our power to hide it. Almost as if it were a cringe-worthy crime.
Not everyone in society will perceive ‘this’ in a similar fashion. People might judge you. Some might even get disgusted.
Not everyone will understand.
Not everyone has to.
Only you have to.
