National No Apologies Period Day 2023 (US): Facts, Dates and History

National No Excuses Period Day is annually observed on June 9. People who menstruate have been shamed and made to feel guilty for far too long merely for having periods. We live in a culture that teaches us from a young age that menstruation is something to be concealed and not discussed in public, which is absurd considering that half of the world’s population menstruates!

This significant day aims to dismantle the culture that has made menstruating women feel embarrassed of their bodies. Menstruation is wholesome, vital, and normal. It is time to abandon these outdated patriarchal beliefs and stop making excuses. Period.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL NO APOLOGIES PERIOD DAY

People are becoming increasingly accepting of normal, healthy physiological functions, such as menstruation, as we enter an age in which body positivity is encouraged. The majority of females begin menstruation between the ages of 10 and 16, or two years after the onset of puberty. They will persist until 40 to 50 years of age. National No Apologies Period Day was established in June 2021 by Midol, a manufacturer of pain-relieving medications, in an effort to help the world abandon this period apology mentality.

According to Midol, 62% of women under the age of 40 have apologised for their periods or period symptoms at some stage in their lives. People allocated female at birth have been trained for centuries to apologise for everything, including things they cannot control and are the result of mother nature. From missing class to a lack of intimacy to a general desire to vanish, women are constantly apologising for their bodies and the uncontrollable period symptoms that accompany them.

Periods are a natural phenomenon, but many cultures throughout history have either failed to comprehend them or made no endeavour to do so. In fact, throughout history, menstrual bleeding has been considered a curse. In Roman times, it was believed to have the ability to damage crops and turn wine sour.

Between the fifth and fifteenth centuries, women used cloths as improvised pads, leading to the popularisation of the phrase “on the rag” for menstruation. In mediaeval times, people believed that menstrual symptoms were a reminder of Eve’s original sin and that women should be forced to endure them. Back then, pain alleviation in the form of natural and herbal remedies was intentionally withheld from women, almost as a form of punishment.

FIVE FACTS ABOUT PERIODS THAT WILL STUN YOU

a decade of periods

Menstruating women spend approximately ten years of their lives on periods.

We’re having periods earlier.

As a result of enhanced nutrition, periods now begin around the age of 12, as opposed to the age of 17 in the 1800s.

Loss of three tablespoons of blood

During your period, you may lose between one tablespoon and a small cup of blood.

Menstruation impacts your voice and scent.

Numerous hormonal changes in the body impact the vocal cords as well as the person’s scent, although this is typically imperceptible.

Winter is a worse time for periods.

The cold can make your period heavier, more painful, and lengthier than usual.