When I say I’m on my period, people say,

“Ew,”

As if one word could capture the struggle, the miracle that is a period,

As if you could define this process that is solely mine and every woman’s and does not belong to you,

We do not belong to you.

Why do you make me feel ashamed,

Even disgusted of my own body,

A body I’ve grown up with,

A body that I’ve lived with for thirteen years,

A body that has done things for me that you certainly haven’t,

So why do you judge it now?

Now,

When the cramps are coming,

I have a mile to run in ten minutes,

And I am going to run that mile while my organs are shedding themselves,

Could you do that?

I didn’t think so,

Periods are not something to be ashamed of.

They are not something that should have to be hidden,

They are not something that should have to be whispered in friends’ ears,

They are not something that should have to be locked away in the vault of things you should never say in public next to all of the curse words you love to spit out,

When they ask you why you are taking your bag to the bathroom tell them you are not pregnant and that your uterus is celebrating by vomiting,

Vomiting blood,

Blood,

This blood, that you are bleeding right now as you go through your cycle,

This is your blood, and whether you think it is beautiful or disgusting, that is your choice,

Don’t let anybody else tell you otherwise,

I can’t believe I ever felt ashamed of being female,

Felt like I was lesser,

I am not lesser,

We are not lesser,

We are daughters of the moon, living among the unworthy stars,

We are all sisters of Artemis,

Untouchable,

And stronger than you give us credit for because,

Anything you can do,

We can do bleeding.