It happened to me a few days ago. I was in my examination hall, writing my paper. The seating arrangement was such that I had two boy students next to me. When I got up to get an extra answer sheet, I realised it was the day – I had my period. When I returned to my seat, the sixth grader next to me said: “There is blood on your chair; on your pants as well.”

I was embarrassed. I tried to shrug my embarrassment off and started focusing on my paper.

Then suddenly there was the seventh grader who kind of made fun of me – for I had my period while taking the exam, for how I could forget to wear a sanitary pad. Then there was laughter. The two boys tried to draw the attention of other boy students from my class. But they ignored. I am glad that they decided not to pay attention to what other two

boys were saying.

Even in the 21st century, menstruation is still a taboo subject in our society.

Oftentimes we among girls talk about menstruation in hushed tones, or we use some “code words” to describe “our time of the month”. Sometimes, it so happens that we are caught unawares by the visit of this bloody friend. And we are made an object of ridicule. But girls hardly stand up against this and in general hang their heads with shame and embarrassment as if they have committed a crime.

Periods happen to half the population; they do not need to be treated as something to hide.

In our society, menstruation often means exclusion of girls and women. And there are superstitious beliefs surrounding periods. Girls and women during their periods are barred from kitchens while they are not allowed to enter temples and other religious places.

This is all because of lack of education and awareness. Schools need to impart education and run awareness campaigns about menstruation.

It is high time we started speaking up so that girls and women do not have to suffer from humiliation or trauma

just because they have their monthly cycles.

When I got mine on that day of exam, I also could not speak. I ran to the toilet and when I returned, I was in tears. I just wanted to disappear. I even felt like apologising. But no; I won’t now onwards. I am not going to apologise for my periods. The problem is not my period; the problem is society’s attitude towards this natural phenomenon. Yes I bleed, and I bleed every month.