Dear Ladies,

I am also a lady, just as you are too. That alone unites us, no matter what skin color, socioeconomic background, class, level of education, etc. That being said, when we are in the bathroom together, why is it that we pretend that we don’t know what it’s like to be a lady? More specific, what it’s like to be a human lady?

Let me explain where this is going. First off, again, in case you forgot, I am a lady. Therefore, I have gotten my period, I will get my period, and sometimes I have my period while using the bathroom. So when I’m sitting there, doing my business, I can hear the fear and embarrassment in your demeanor as you quietly try to rip open that tampon or pad. I know you try so hard to avoid making the crinkly sound of paper rustling as you unwrap those lady products.

Again, I am a lady. I know what it feels like to be in your shoes. Your perfectly dirty tennis shoes or those sexy stilettosif I’m at the club, and I want to let you know that it’s OK. It’s OK to be on your period and to unwrap those tampons because I do it too.

I remember being in high school and flushing the toilet then trying to unwrap my pads as fast as I could to try and hide the sound it would make because I too, was embarrassed. As I got older, I realized that I had no reason to be embarrassed. Even if I was embarrassed about when I was on my period, why would I be embarrassed in the one place where I’m surrounded by people who understand?

It doesn’t make sense, does it? But we have become so warped as a society that we as women are ashamed of the natural rhythms of our own beautiful bodies. From the time we’re old enough to understand, we’re taught that the development of our bodies transitions us into womanhood, yet, we aren’t told that with womanhood, comes a whirlwind of trouble.

Do you remember getting told that you would be served womanhood with a side of sexism and oppression?

Nope, me either.

Whenever I’m struggling with this concept that we are sometimes ashamed or embarrassed about our periods, I always think of the essay, "If Men Could Menstruate," by Gloria Steinem where she writes, “Street guys would invent slang ("He's a three-pad man") and "give fives" on the corner with some exchange like, ‘Man you lookin' good!’'" from 1978. It’s a satire piece that imagines men as if they could menstruate and they own it. They embrace it and make it a badge of honor to bleed every month. But it’s a reminder that we can’t afford to do those things as woMEN.

It’s an oppression so deep that affects the simplest things like unwrapping a tampon in the ladies room all the way to the way we perceive women in the spotlight (i.e. Hillary Clinton). It’s a sad truth, and while we have come leaps and bounds to stand where we are today, we still got a long way to go.

So this is my challenge to you, womyn (look it up!), is to embrace your body everywhere you go. Start with the small things, then go and conquer the big things. Embrace the naturalness of who we are and who we will be. Rip your damn pads and tampon wrappers open with conviction! Then go be president!

Peace and love from your fellow womyn,