educating the men in your life on periods

Given that cis men are the only people who have no connection to periods, the title of this blog might be surprising.

However, acknowledging that men can use their privilege to help educate, helps us move forward spreading the word on periods and menstrual health.

Of course, not enough education is out there for young girls starting their period, but (hopefully) this blog can be useful for everyone.

It is also important to note that your period is (for most) with us consistently until later on in life, it isn’t just a one off thing that you should mention. It’s, unfortunately, for life, and worth speaking about. 

If your dads, brothers, cousins, uncles, friends, play important roles in your life, then they should be at least aware of how important the basics of a period are.

Plus if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need your brother to run out and grab you the right pads, surely he should know the ins and outs?

It is also important to acknowledge the single dads who will have to educate their young daughters on periods, and support them through their journey. 

Express that your health and wellbeing is important, and that the support and understanding that they can give to you on this, is very beneficial and important to you. 

Types of period care - This can be in however much detail you'd like

• The products you use and why they work best
• The best places to shop for them
• The brands you like/don't like
• How much you spend on them
• How to use a pad/tampon/cup

The period symptoms you suffer with, and how you treat them.

• Do thy understand your mood changes during your cycle?
• Are you effected the most be cramps, fatigue or bloating etc.
• What are the best foods to help you during your cycle?
• What are your go to products/comforts that get you through your period

Sex on your period

• How your libido changes throughout your cycle
• How you feel about sex on your period
• The best way to approach it 

Unfortunately, there will be a number of men who won’t respond in the polite and respectful manor that should be expected. However, as it isn’t something that is completely normalised. Sometimes the response can be hidden behind manipulation or humour. Here are some Red flags to look out for when discussing your period with a man:

• He goes straight to ignoring it or blocking it out
• He says "why do I need to know this though?"
• He isn't actively listening
• He patronises you about it
• He gets grossed out when you talk about it
• He doesn't make you feel comfortable when you're talking about the subject

This was a short summary on the subject as a whole. There are numerous other subjects that can and should be explored. We just hope that this can give an insight into spreading the word on growing a supportive network for people with periods.