In America, or in most other countries across the globe, a girl's menstrual cycle (commonly known as a period) is a natural, monthly occurrence that can begin as early as the age of 8-years-old.
Periods do not typically affect the quality of life or determine whether or not a girl can continue going to school. But in places like India, Liberia, Iran, and several other countries across the globe, that is exactly what they do.
This topic is hushed, and this topic is taboo. Even in 2018, people don't like discussing things like menstruation with others.
But some things need to be discussed, no matter how uncomfortable we may be.
The plight of countless young girls in countries across the world being so deeply affected by their periods is one of them.
Michelle Obama and Meghan Markle are just two high-profile women who made this discussion public. Markle wrote an essay on the issue for TIME in March 2017 after a trip she made to India with World Vision, titled How Periods Affect Potential.
Obama, while still First Lady, often made it part of her ongoing campaign Let Girls Learn, which focused on the economic, social, and physical barriers young girls around the world face whilst trying to get an education.
I am not writing about this issue simply because I am a woman. Periods have been an intense, ongoing struggle for me ever since my preteen years.
Most months, they keep me in bed for the entirety of day 1, with cramps being so bad they are not capable of being rated on a pain scale. Some months, even vomiting and hallucinations are added to the mix. School and work have been affected by my period countless times.
Birth control becomes a necessity for many girls and women in order to help minimize pain and discomfort, even if they are not sexually active.
Before discovering girls around the world that faced innumerable challenges due to their periods, I never knew I should be thankful or extra aware of the fact that I am a two-minute drive from a store that could sell me the necessary things I need to get through a cycle, including medication.
Hundreds of thousands of girls across the African and Asian continents have to stay home, and eventually possibly drop out from school because of their periods.
This is not because they want to, but because they do not have the necessary modes of hygiene available to them to leave their homes and therefore see no other choice.
Since pads and tampons are a rarity in those parts of the world, girls are forced to use napkins, towels, or just bleed out onto their clothing. Obviously, this is not hygienic nor sanitary and can cause infections and illness.
To put it into statistical perspective, "One hundred and thirteen million adolescent girls between the ages of 12-14 in India alone are at risk of dropping out of school because of the stigma surrounding menstrual health," Markle wrote in her piece. That number is 23% of all girls in India.
If it is not the lack of necessary tools girls need to get through their periods in these countries, it is shame and discomfort. Many countries do not have the ability to freely talk about such personal issues, so girls are too ashamed and afraid to go to school while menstruating.
Additionally, since periods are such a taboo topic in various parts of the world, it leads to superstitious attitudes. It is not rare for girls to think of their periods as an evil occurrence in their body or a natural form of punishment.
To fix this, or ANY of it, it is important we SPEAK and ACT.
Thankfully, there are several incredible organizations and individuals that have already hit the ground running in various parts of the world: Red Cross, World Vision, Freedom4Girls, and HappyPeriod are just a few. They deliver feminine hygiene products wherever they can, but it is not always frequent nor always feasible to do so.
Not being able to attend school and get an education all due to a natural, bodily occurrence is unfair to the highest degree.
No one should pay such a high price for something they have zero control over.
No one.
