My Story: Giving Advice to Anyone Who Menstruates

By Saniya Ghanoui —

XY gives advice to anyone who may be experiencing their period for the first time.

Transcript:

OBOS Today: So, what would you tell someone who is just starting to menstruate or just got their period, if they were right here? 

XY: Good question. Yeah. I think, first thing is there is nothing to be afraid about. There is nothing to be afraid of. Um, second is it is going to be a journey. Take time to be mindful of what’s happening to your body. When you first menstruate, that’s normally a sign of puberty, right? Puberty can be awkward and can be stressful, so um take care of yourself, and lastly, how you, should you eventually choose to advocate for your body and the bodies of others who menstruate, know that your advocacy and activism can look very different. Some people free bleed, some people don’t. Some people leave their body hairs that are considered undesirable and unsightly, they let them grow, and some people don’t and that’s okay.

Don’t let anybody tell you how your activism should look like and don’t let anybody tell you how your menstrual cycle should look like. There is no single menstrual cycle. It doesn’t have to be 28 days. It doesn’t have to; the bleeding doesn’t have to last five days. No, there’s no set limits and um, yeah, if you, if you choose to, you know, become one of the scientists that focuses on research in this area and hopefully, we will bring to light exactly what is happening because until today, that’s why, nobody knows why we have PMS or why some people have PMS and why some doesn’t, why menstrual cycles are so different and so many we can provide an answer to that and I hope we seek comfort in that possibility. 

OBOS Today: I have one last question for you, um, so what do you think is one of the greatest lessons that you’ve learned in this uh journey through, you know, learning how to take care of your body and take care of yourself? It doesn’t have to be one thing, but you know, what’s one, could you give me some insight into something that you’ve learned throughout this process? 

XY: Yeah. Yeah. I think it’s different for everybody but for a perfectionist and person who is incredibly self-critical, I think one, if there’s one lesson that I have to choose it’s that the only person that has to love yourself is you. And the most important person that can love you and bring joy into your life is yourself. And um, so yeah. Love yourself. Know yourself better and know yourself, and know that your body will always change, know that your mindsets will always change.

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