Items to deal with menstruation.
When I was 12 years old, I lost my period for three years and had no idea why. When I searched for “Why don’t I have my period,” I fell into a rabbit hole full of misinformation. Different websites told me it could be anything from a tumor to diabetes to a thyroid disorder, and I had no idea which sources to trust. I even convinced myself I had ovarian cancer.
Overwhelmed and terrified, I swore never to tell my family because I didn’t want to scare them, too. It wasn’t until I sought medical help for a running injury that I was hit with the facts: I was missing my period because I had an eating disorder. Over time, I got the health care I needed to recover, but I wish I had understood earlier what was happening with my body and what support was available.
Even with the sex education I received on reproductive health in fifth, seventh and ninth grades, I hadn’t learned about what a period was, how to regulate one, how to care for one and, especially, how to notice irregularities and when or how to seek medical care.
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As it turns out, my experience isn’t unique. Not having adequate, or any, education on menstruation is a common problem across the country.
Through my work as an organizer and founder of my school’s reproductive health club, I’ve heard from dozens of my peers across the state who wish there was menstrual education in school. That feeling isn’t new or just in California. A 2023 YouGov poll of 2,000 American adults found that more than one-third of respondents reported not being taught enough about menstruation in school. Nowadays, students are more likely to say that they learn more in school about the anatomy of a frog than the anatomy of a menstruating body.
Young people deserve better than this.
The lack of mandated menstrual education means many students don’t understand the basics, from managing cramps healthily to recognizing disorders and accessing hygiene products. Stigma and a lack of education jeopardize students’ physical health, mental well-being and academic performance. According to a 2019 Harris poll of 1,000 U.S. teens, 4 in 5 menstruating teens have missed class time or know someone who has because they don’t have the resources they need to navigate their period. Even when students are in class, worrying about menstruation can also prevent students from focusing on lessons or lead to punitive discipline if they’re late to a class after a restroom break or skip participating in gym because of shame or discomfort.
The average age young people begin puberty and get their period is also happening earlier, and some research suggests this raises new health concerns, like mental health challenges. Now more than ever, menstrual education needs to prepare young people to make healthy choices for their bodies for years to come.
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California lawmakers have already shown they understand the importance of youth health. In 2016, they passed the California Healthy Youth Act to support sexual health and HIV prevention education. But the act notably leaves out menstrual education. Now, over 1,000 young people across the state have launched the Know Your Period Campaign, which calls on lawmakers to pass AB2229 and update the act to teach students age-appropriate facts about the menstrual cycle, premenstrual syndrome and pain management, menstrual hygiene, menstrual disorders or irregularities, menopause, stigma and more. Developed for and by students, with the support of sex education experts from the nonprofit Advocates for Youth, this measure will give young people the tools they need to understand their bodies, their development and how to plan for the future.
Our representatives can make history by enshrining these fundamental education standards. If California lawmakers pass this first-of-its-kind legislation, it can set a blueprint for other states.
At a time when there’s so much misinformation about menstrual and reproductive health care, it’s more crucial than ever that schools help students understand their bodies so they can make healthy choices. It’s one of those few opportunities for voters and lawmakers to rise above political shenanigans and swiftly adopt a common-sense policy that makes a tangible difference for young people.
Assembly Member Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, introduced AB2229 and supports our initiative. However, as the bill approaches its first hearing on Wednesday, our representatives need to hear from their constituents about the critical need for menstrual education. Whether you’re a parent who wants the best education for your kid, a student or simply someone who remembers how hard it can be to be a teenager, you can send your representative a letter to help our movement for safe and healthy periods.
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Too many people feel confusion, shame or pain when they get their period or when their period changes. My period should never have been a mystery to me, and I never should have suffered in silence because of misinformation and shame. If we work together to adopt the Know Your Period curriculum, it can provide a source of relief and empowerment for thousands of students across the state.
Sriya Srinivasan is a high school student from Solano County and a member of Young Womxn Of Color, a program for women and nonbinary leaders of color with Advocates for Youth.
I’m a California teen, and no one taught me what a period is. Why that needs to change
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29.03.2024
Items to deal with menstruation.
When I was 12 years old, I lost my period for three years and had no idea why. When I searched for “Why don’t I have my period,” I fell into a rabbit hole full of misinformation. Different websites told me it could be anything from a tumor to diabetes to a thyroid disorder, and I had no idea which sources to trust. I even convinced myself I had ovarian cancer.
Overwhelmed and terrified, I swore never to tell my family because I didn’t want to scare them, too. It wasn’t until I sought medical help for a running injury that I was hit with the facts: I was missing my period because I had an eating disorder. Over time, I got the health care I needed to recover, but I wish I had understood earlier what was happening with my body and what support was available.
Even with the sex education I received on reproductive health in fifth, seventh and ninth grades, I hadn’t learned about what a period was, how to regulate one, how to care for one and, especially, how to notice irregularities and when or how to seek medical care.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
As it turns out, my experience isn’t unique. Not having adequate, or any, education on menstruation is a common problem across the country.
Through my work as an organizer and founder of my school’s reproductive health club, I’ve heard from dozens of my peers across the state who........
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