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I’m laying in the bath after a very productive day as I’ve got a bloated stomach from my period. I came on today. All normal, always on time which I’m lucky as not everyone has it that easy! I thought to myself “ah that explains it”.

The emotions beforehand, the stressing for somewhat no reason and just the feeling completely crap. Ah it explains it, the period is here! Now to sit and suffer a week of bleeding, hormones and pain for me as a reward for not being pregnant. Reward only because I don’t want children right now. But aren’t rewards supposed to be fun?

Anyways, it dawned on me recently that periods seem to be another taboo subject, just like domestic abuse. Why? Because it’s “disgusting”. People gag if you mention it or say it’s private. It’s not disgusting, it’s normal.

Many a times I’ve been at work and had a comment from a male when I’ve walked out the office with my bag “where are you going?” Or “going home already!”. I used to feel so embarrassed and just laugh it off. But really why should I? So not long after I started saying I’m going to change my pad. 9/10 times I’d get a “too much information” or “I don’t want to know”. Well you asked?

Then after that I used to just take a pad to the toilet and leave my bag – stops the stupid comments unless they want to specifically ask what I’m doing with a pad in my hand. Now that would be a stupid question.

Last month I was on my period and I was travelling home from Nottingham and I’d come off. I’d been on the whole time I was away and the journey home nothing to show for it. So I thought, that’s done for this month. I went for dinner in a pale pink jumpsuit without another protection and during my dinner I felt that “oh shit” feeling. The feeling of, that doesn’t feel like discharge (another taboo subject) or anything normal. I look down and see I’ve bled. I was out for dinner in a packed well lit restaurant with my parents. I had a jacket and off to the toilet I went to make a makeshift pad (no change for the dispenser in the toilet) and I carried on my dinner. I even had dessert. I made my parents aware of the situation but this was my birthday dinner with my parents, I weren’t letting my period spoil it. Once we had done I went home and showered and changed.

I told my partner and my close friends what had happened, just as I thought id bring it into conversation and I had comments like “oh no are you okay”. Yes I’m fine, I’m bleeding because it’s normal. Then I had all my girl mates admit similar things had happened to them.

Why should I be upset? It’s normal. Why shouldn’t I be okay? It’s normal. Why should I be embarrassed? ITS NORMAL.

This is my opinion, it won’t be a great one for everyone but NORMALISE PERIODS.