Cover image via imgur.comA recent poll taken by over 6,000 Malaysian women revealed what really happens when we're on our periods
In a joint effort with Libresse, we wanted to find out your truth about your period and asked some rather personal questions 🙂
We don't believe that periods are something to be ashamed of. It's a totally normal, healthy event that happens to our bodies once a month. So, we want to [talk about it](http://libresseletsgetreal.com.my/#video_page)!
If you've never had a period, here are 15 things women wish you knew:
1. Pad ads aren't realistic
-_-
50% of poll respondents said sanitary ads are not realistic at all, while 40% agreed some aspects are true, while others are false.
Image via Facebook @ikn0wright
2. Jumping for joy after wearing a pad? How 'bout no.
Tbh skipping is the last thing we wanna do on our periods, 74% of women agreed. Jumping would lead to a gush of blood down there…
Image via goodreads
3. FYI period blood is not blue
We're not aliens. We bleed red down there too, mmmkay?
4. Dark colours and comfy pants are our BFFs for the week
78% of women called us insane for suggesting wearing white during that time of the month >_<
Image via Cosmopolitan
5. PMS is legit, affects women differently, and leaves us feeling emotional
Image via gurl
6. Mood swing. Sigh. And then cry.
Image via gurl
Mood swings received the second highest most annoying period symptom.
7. Cramps are really, really, very, very painful. So painful we had to say it twice.
Image via gurl
Yup, cramps were voted most annoying period symptom. They sneak up on you at any time of the day and night. It doesn't matter if you're lying down, sitting, or standing.
8. For some women, the pain is excruciating
And leaves them bedridden.
Image via gurl
9. Truth is, periods are super exhausting physically…
Image via Smosh
78% of women revealed that they feel lethargic and don't want to move at all during their period.
10. And there's a lot of mental fatigue that comes with it too 🙁
Image via Giphy
11. Many women don't feel like socialising with ANYONE. Not even their best friends.
Image via Reaction Gifs
While for others, it's no big deal ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Like we said, every woman is different.
12. The worst thing ever is leaking in public
Image via The Period Blog
13. Actually, leaking at home, in bed, is pretty bad too
Image via POPxo
Because you have to soak your stained clothes, wash the bedsheets, and attempt to scrub your mattress…
14. But despite all that, we can still continue to kickass all day
Image via MTV UK
Many women go through physical, mental, and emotional challenges during their period, yet continue to persevere with what they need to do. Ain't nothin' gonna hold us back 😉
15. Finally, 75% of women who took the poll agreed that we should not be ashamed of our periods
So why don't we talk about it openly? Let's put an end to the belief that periods are "disgusting" or "dirty" or "an embarrassment."
Image via Vampire Diaries Wikia
Let's cut the nonsense and show honest and accurate representations of what periods are really like
It's not a bed of roses where women leap with joy in perfect weather, and it's not this horrible, unspeakable event that we need to hide from society either.
Periods, or menstruation, is simply the process in a woman of discharging blood and other materials from the lining of the uterus every month. It's just a normal thing that happens.
And that's why Libresse is championing the movement of getting women (and men!) to come together and talk about real period experiences with their talk show. They've even invited Adibah Noor, the hitchhiker Petrina Thong, vlogger Shazreen Fazlynda, and Gurmit Singh to join it! Check out the trailer here:
Head over to Libresse to watch full videos of the talk show [now](http://libresseletsgetreal.com.my/#video_page)!
