Women’s periods are just a natural part of life. Every month they come and go – it’s something us women have to deal with as part of our every day routine.

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And yet for some reason, we still act like periods are taboo. We take our bags to the bathroom because God forbid anyone sees us carrying a tampon. Our boyfriends grimace as we discuss the details. We’re told period sex is gross.

One yoga instructor who agrees with how ridiculous this is, is Stephanie Góngora. Known as casa_colibri on Instagram, Stephanie recently decided to share a video to her 250,000 followers of her doing yoga as she bled through a pair of white yoga pants.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQJBpi3ATz6/?taken-by=casa_colibri

Being a girl myself, I was shocked and embarrassed when I first saw this image, which just goes to show how ingrained the idea is. Stephanie’s protest sends out a bold message about that periods should not be shied away from: 

I am a woman, therefore, I bleed.

It’s messy, it’s painful, it’s terrible, & it’s beautiful. And yet, you wouldn’t know. Because I hide it.

I bury things at the bottom of the trash. I breathe, ragged and awkward through the cramps, all the while holding onto this tight lipped, painted on smile.

Tampons? What are those. We don’t say those words out loud. Hide them. In the back pocket of your purse, in the corner of the bathroom drawer, at the very bottom of your shopping cart (please let me get a female cashier).

Events or engagements get missed. I’ll tell myself it’s the PMS, sure, but it has more to with the risk of being “caught,” at what…I’m not quite sure.

Hundreds of years of culture have made us embarrassed to bleed. Have left us feeling dirty and ashamed.

STOP PRETENDING. Stop using silly pet names like Aunt Flo because you’re too afraid to say “I’m bleeding” or “vagina.”

Stop wasting so much effort hiding the very thing that gives this species continuity.

START talking about it. Educate your daughters. Make them understand that it can be both an inconvenience and a gift, but NEVER something to be ashamed about.

Educate your sons so they don’t recoil from the word tampon. So when a girl bleeds through her khaki shorts in third period (pun intended), they don’t perpetuate the cycle of shame and intolerance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP3ySRPA9aK/?taken-by=casa_colibri

Fair play. It’s pretty admirable that this woman has put this image out into the online community, because making such bold statements always generates a backlash. But with the negativity comes positive thoughts and many women have already praised and thanked Stephanie for the protest.

If you’re a woman or a person with a girlfriend who suffers period pains, maybe think about getting some of this specially made chocolate. Apparently it relieves period pains.