Sneak your sanitary napkin into your bag, it’s that time of the month.

Menstrual taboo in some societies involves periods being perceived as shameful. Periods are a lot of things; they can be irritating, uncomfortable and sometimes inconvenient. However, one thing they are not are embarrassing. We are taught at a young age that we should hide our tampons and pads and to keep this taboo to ourselves, and slowly it has taught us that our periods are wrong somehow. It taught us that menstruation is embarrassing and “she must on her period,” really means, “she’s crazy.”

Well I’m calling nonsense.

Periods are beautiful things that happen to our bodies every month; our body is healing itself. It means it’s working. I am not on my *period,* I am on my period and I am not ashamed.

According to the She Knows website, when tampons and pads began being advertised in the early 1900s, as a marketing strategy, Kotex showed periods as a burden.

Period shaming is a widespread, ridiculous issue whether it’s a presidential candidate throwing periods as insults, or when a photographer’s work is being censored on Instagram.

Period shaming is creating a stigma that periods should be hidden or even stopped. Now what kind of message is that to the young teens who are going through periods for the first time?

Instead of teaching girls ways they can hide their period, throw them a period party. Welcome your daughter’s first period. Show her that this is a beautiful thing that should be celebrated, not hidden.

Periods, like breastfeeding, are natural and beautiful things and just because they happen to half the people doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. I’m not saying we should all love our periods and conduct a “free the blood” campaign, or that stopping it gets rid of our “womanhood.” Seeing periods as embarrassing versus irritating are two different arguments. Periods can be inconvenient for many and getting rid of them may be a healthy option for some.

Here are a few reasons as to why periods shouldn’t be a social taboo:

First, they are normal, you are not weird for having one. It’s natural.

Second, periods are indicators for your health. Don’t worry that your period isn’t regulated; it’s pretty common to have an irregular one. Congrats, you’re healthy.

Third, they shouldn’t invalidate you. Because they are rough and girls tend to get a little hormonal during them you may hear the disturbingly infamous cliché, “It must be that time of the month, HA HA!”  When that comment is heard and not defended, it’s a way of validating that kind of thinking.

Just because periods don’t happen to everyone doesn’t mean they’re wrong. By slowly accepting that concept, and by eliminating uneducated behavior, periods will be seen the way they are supposed to be seen: normal.