When I was twelve-and-a-half, I got my period. I went to the bathroom, looked down, and saw some blood in my underwear. I was pretty calm about it and remembered the pack of ‘just in case’ pads the school nurse had given us after showing a video called “Growing Up and Liking It” that was sponsored by the same company that made the pads.
I didn’t have time to be all “OMG! It’s my first period!’ because the doorbell immediately rang. I heard my mom answer it and shout for me to come downstairs to greet my cousins who’d come to visit. Oh no! I thought. I’ve got thirty seconds to flush, wash, and look like nothing’s happening! I don’t have time to wrestle some crazy, newfangled product out of its packaging, stick it to the right part of my underwear, and hope for the best! But actually, that’s exactly what I did. Then I greeted my cousins, enjoyed a barbecue in the backyard, and never gave it another thought.
Well, not until a few months later during a bloodstained slumber party experience that was a total nightmare. Basically: an early period + being snowed in = leakage horror. Even though all of us were girls, and most of us had started getting our periods, the other girls’ reactions left me feeling so ashamed that I thought I wouldn’t live it down.
After that, every time a new pad was advertised with promises of “leakage protection” or “invisibility,” I was eager to give it a try. Then I got paranoid that pads could be seen through clothing, so I experimented with tampons. But no matter which way I stood, crouched, or leaned, I could never get the hang of inserting them, so I settled for seeking out the thinnest pads on the market. They were also the most expensive, but I was convinced they‘d protect me from future embarrassment. My grandma, my mom, and I all got into a routine of finding them on sale and stocking up while they were cheaper.
If you find that periods are something you’re uncomfortable mentioning, or if you’ve experienced anything like my own state of panic, maybe it’s time to become a menstrual media maven! Look closely at an ad’s or a commercial’s message: is it saying “keep menstruation a secret,” and then saying their product will help hide it? Does it tell you that periods are a nuisance and should be avoided? Does the ad avoid saying the words “period,” “pad,” “menstruation,” or “tampon”? These are all warning signs that the company is trying to use the fear factor to get you to buy their stuff…which may not live up to their promises.
Also, be wary of viral advertising. Facebook, Myspace, and websites with “teen forums” sponsored by companies may be fun, but when you’re playing a flash game or posting a comment, you’re also seeing that brand’s logo at the bottom or the side of every screen! After seeing the logo over and over again, guess which brand your eyes will naturally find at the supermarket or drugstore? Yep.
A company having money to spend on advertising doesn’t always mean it sells a quality product, or one that is good for your body. And any company that tells you your period is something shameful doesn’t deserve your dollars. Looking back, I can see how taken in I was by all that advertising, and how I wasted a lot of money trying to hide something I never needed to hide.