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That time of the month

2021-03-01  Staff Reporter

That time of the month

It’s that time of the month and you have no idea what to do. It has been called the red bus, rooi beamer, little red riding hood and some even just say, oh, it’s that time of the month. It really is not that deep for it to have so many names. I am on my periods and I am bleeding. I do not need you to be making up funny names to associate my moods with it. 

Here are a few things that women would like to share with men. Yes, our pads are loud, we know. We have lived with this since we were 16, some of us at 14 if not 15 years old. Now that we got that out of the way, shall we talk about the experience itself? By that, I do not mean the scientific stuff, I mean emotionally and physically. 

PMS? It exists. This is when a woman gets agitated for no reason but because her body decides it wants to. This can last up to seven days and usually happens a week before her periods actually start. This is the phase where women get asked dumb questions as to whether it is that time of the month or they are just being bitchy- they aren’t. So, if I wake up at three to make brownies, let me be. 

What do I want to eat? Are you being serious right now? I want to eat everything and anything but, I cannot because I don’t know. I am being honest. I honestly do not know. Contrary to popular belief, sweet things do not make it better. Perhaps for those that do not have cramps yes, but to the rest of us who feel like our uteruses are being gutted out, it is the one thing you do not buy us. Sugar actually makes my period flow more and it is painful. Did I mention that it is painful? I did? Okay. It literally feels like something is crushing the organs in your lower abdomen. In the same breath, every time we sneeze while on our period, we feel like a tube of ketchup. Not to mention that we hate standing up every time from our chairs/ bed while we are on period, so don’t expect that. By this, I mean do not send me to go make you coffee. We only need some extra care and help from you during periods.

• Frieda Mukufa’s lifestyle section concentrates on women-related issues and parenting every Friday in the New Era newspaper.


2021-03-01  Staff Reporter

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