Women bleed every month. It’s not gory, it’s not gross, it’s natural. That’s why we’re here to decode those terrifying period myths!
It’s no secret that periods can sometimes be a bit of nightmare. The period from hell can strike at any time and bring with it an evil force of period cramps. But, love it or hate it, periods are natural and are an important aspect of our lives. After all, it’s estimated women get on average 450 periods in a lifetime!
Unfortunately, periods are subject to negativity
Period shaming still exists in 2021 and periods are also widely associated with bizarre myths! We’ve compiled a list of some of the most ridiculous, scary period myths we’ve come across:
Fear of the bleed:
Some people believe that when we bleed, it is the same as bleeding excessively from a body part when you cut yourself. Well, yes there is some actual blood included in our bleed. But, period blood is different to normal blood in terms of its composition and physical properties. It certainly is not something to fear. According to women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, “Period blood is made up of thickened endometrial cells that slough off if there isn’t a pregnancy.” A period is “a monthly shedding of the bed that would normally nourish a developing embryo”. So, there’s nothing frightening or disgusting about period blood.
Shark week:
Everyone has heard of the phrase ‘shark week’ as a period euphemism. But, contrary to popular belief, sharks can’t sense when you are menstruating and will not swarm to eat you fuelled with bloodlust. There’s no need to avoid swimming in the sea when you’re on your period. Jaws will NOT seek you out because you are on your period.
A bloody haunting:
In Malaysia, it’s reportedly believed that you need to wash your pads before placing them in the bin. It’s believed that if you don’t, ghosts will come and haunt you. Crazy, we know. Don’t be spooked by this one, it is most definitely a myth.
A ‘bear’ scary thought:
Similar to the shark myth, there’s a common belief that menstruating women should avoid going near woods or going camping, as they will attract bears. Where did this myth start you ask? Back in 1967, there was a bear attack in Glacier National Park and two women were sadly killed. An investigation took place and found that one woman was on her period. The conclusion of this investigation was that “due to odors associated with menstruation, women may be more prone to attack by bears than are men.” Later investigations confirmed that this is, indeed, a myth. There was no evidence linking the two, so you don’t need to have concerns if you’re camping in the woods on your period.
Don’t fear these period myths! They are nonsense. Have you heard of any other period myths? Drop us a comment below or tweet us @totmorganic to let us know. Happy Halloween everyone!
