So all this period talk got me thinking, and I’ve decided that I wish women didn’t feel so awkward when it comes to mentioning our periods (without the anonymous mask of the internet!). In private, it’s a common experience, a bond that provides a universal culture for women. But in public, menstruation is used both to embarrass us and to contain us in our anatomy.

It’s rarely acceptable to mention it outside of your close circle of friends. We talk about it in these little groups, which definitely bonds us, but there’s still that hesitation in many situations. For example, if I have to cancel a dinner date with friends because I feel crampy and bloated, I shouldn't have to lie with "I have a headache." This seems so silly.

There’s this near-censorship of the period topic in public conversation, which I think reflects a marginalization of women. Seriously, think about it for a second. What’s the grossest period memory you have? Mine is bleeding through my clothes in middle school. Oh my god, what a nightmare! And sex: I’ve heard people claim that it’s better, but, in my experience, guys are afraid of periods (often declaring “messiness” as an excuse). And I seriously still get a tiny bit uncomfortable when a guy’s ringing up my tampons at Target. Maybe if we weren’t so afraid to talk about it, we could better advise younger generations, and they wouldn’t have to go through these “rights of passage” like most of us.

How do we start to shift the general opinion about periods? Maybe through more education and acknowledgment of how compelling this bond really is. Rather than mask it with “I have a headache” and lament it from the start, young girls should be taught that menstruation is nothing to hide or feel ashamed of. What if we made some sort of exciting ritual or initiation that celebrated young girls’ entrance into womanhood? Didn’t the Native Americans do that?

Does everyone agree with me? Can we (should we?) change society’s attitude about this?