#NineYearsForHer: "I feel deep sadness for all the women, including my friends, relatives, and myself, who have had to endure the burden of this stigma."
Today's story is written by Danish Refino. Danish is currently studying at PolyU University in Hong Kong, while being a passionate LUÜNA Community Ambassador and social impact enthusiast.
Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, I experienced years of embarrassment and uneasy feelings talking about periods. The topic was off-limits in public conversations, even though menstruation is something that profoundly affects our emotions, behaviour, and overall well-being.
While I am personally lucky not to be raised in a closed-minded home environment, I still witnessed so much shame and stigma around this topic in the wider society.
I vividly remember my younger self wondering why women in supermarkets seemed so reluctant to be seen buying menstrual products. Isn’t it normal for a woman to buy the essentials she needs? Why did they act like it was something shameful? It was confusing then, but now I understand that this is just one example of a much larger issue — period stigma. And what I witnessed was just the tip of the iceberg.
I feel deep sadness for all the women, including my friends, relatives, and myself, who have had to endure the burden of this stigma.
From struggling with period symptoms in silence for fear of judgement or discrimination, to enduring embarrassment when you get your period unexpectedly and don’t have easy access to the products needed, it is such a pity we all have to carry unnecessary shame, stress, and anxiety.
Once I got a period surprise at a morning class and I was wearing white. Never in my life had my day been ruined that quickly. Another story comes from a classmate of mine who was forced to push through pain during class, taking painkillers and acting like nothing was wrong because it felt embarrassing and scary for her to tell the teacher and ask for their understanding.
As I grew up, I realised these situations were not okay and that overlooking the importance of menstrual health and well-being is what brought us here today; a world where the gender health gap impacts the advancement of women and girls around the world.
Over time, I found myself starting more conversations about periods with friends and those around me, hoping that if each of us began to speak up, it would be a little step towards breaking the stigma.
I want my fellow girls and women to have a life where they can express their struggles and pain without feeling judged, dismissed, or even ridiculed.
I imagine a place where parents educate, not only their daughters but also sons about menstruation. I believe this is how we can raise a generation without period stigma.
I envision a world where everyone has equal access to opportunities regardless of gender and destigmatizing menstruation is a huge part of this.
Written by Danish Refino
About this Series:
NineYears4Her is a community-driven storytelling initiative inspired by a McKinsey study that uncovered a startling reality: women spend an average of nine years of their lives in poor health. By amplifying voices from across Asia, we aim to raise awareness, advocate for change, and take decisive action to address the gender health gap and its profound impact on women, marginalised people and their communities across the region.
Want to learn more about LUÜNA AT WORK, our award-winning program for organisations wanting to close the gender health gap? Connect here to book a call or follow us on LinkedIn.