Do you ever imagine what it would be like to live a life where women don’t have to be in debilitating pain once a month for most of their lives? That is the dream of women everywhere who experience hardships during their menstrual cycle. Sadly, it is something women must face in their lives, and going through life is something we must continue to do. Though many women know this struggle, the outside presence is the issue.
The topic of menstruation is taught to boys in elementary school to prepare them for the outside world, but what isn’t taught is empathy toward women for it. They know the mechanics and how the cycle works, but not many could say they understand how a woman feels during this time. I’m sure every woman has had at least one conversation with a guy who would joke around by saying “Better watch out it’s shark week” or “Is it that time of the month again?” Not only are those words and phrases degrading, but also just annoying to hear. If I had a nickel for every time a man made a comment about me being on my period, I would be a billionaire. Something else men do not realize is that as women, society expects us to go on about our day no matter how uncomfortable we may feel. We are expected to act as if nothing is going on and if we ever speak about the issue we are seen as complaining for no reason.
One experience that stuck out to me was one with a professor. I woke up in the morning with one of the worst pains I have had during my cycle. Nothing, not even medicine specific to menstrual cramps, was helping. The only thing I could think to do was email my professor and explain my situation. I typed out a professional email telling him that I was in debilitating pain due to that time of the month and sent it hours before the class was set to take place. I later got a response from said teacher basically saying that cramps are not an excuse to miss class and I will still need to participate in the assignment assigned that day. My initial reaction was confusion as my other professors understood my situation but then my confusion turned into annoyance. What made matters worse was that the professor was a man. It was clear to me that my professor, being a man, did not understand the severity of my pain and was unable to show empathy towards me at that moment. Though this situation may seem minor to most individuals, as someone who deals with irregular period cramps every month, it is a real problem. Especially in the event when I am unable to control what is going on and how I’m feeling, I shouldn’t have to explain myself in order for someone to understand my situation.
It is hard to know that this is a never-ending situation and continues throughout a woman’s life. It is important for others who may not understand what a woman is going through to be empathetic and understanding as it may be something they do not have to ever worry about in their lives. If there is anything to take away from this post is to be understanding, have empathy, and be considerate of what women are feeling.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 