Not-So-White Bikini

Sarah B.  •  Minnesota  •  24

 

I promise this story is real. I was 12 when I got my first period. I was on a family vacation with my whole extended family at the Wisconsin Dells water park. I was wearing my favorite new bikini -white with Japanese cherry blossoms on it, yes, wearing a white bikini was an unfortunate and unforeseeable mistake. I had been feeling a bit odd during the morning, but often had stomach problems as a kid, so I didn't think too much of it. My twin brother and I were teasing each other, trying to see who dared to go down the really tall waterslide. I finally mustered up the courage, climbed up the stairs, and boldly splashed down the long plastic tube, only to reach the bottom, realizing that I had a nice trail of red water following me.

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Naturally, 12 year-old me was horrified and ran to my mom, who sent my dad to go find pads for me somewhere in the hotel. In hindsight, he probably wasn't the best person to send on this mission, and I ended up having to spend the first few hours of my first period with a wad of toilet paper in my now not-so-white swim suit. Now I love my period, I love my story, and I wouldn't change a thing.

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Less Than a Celebration

Joan C.  •  New York  •  25

 

Bleary-eyed in the bathroom on a morning before school, I shouted for my mom. There was a spot on my underwear. I was taught about menstruation and knew what it was, but still felt confused when it happened. My mom showed me how to use a pad and my day went on as normal. After school, I went to my grandmother's house to wait for my mom to pick me up. Good old mom burst in with a bouquet of flowers yelling "CONGRATS ON YOUR WOMANHOOD!" I was mortified and started to cry.

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In her culture, Korean, it was something to be celebrated. In my world, pre-teen American, it was something that was more taboo. I made my mom promise not to tell anyone else that I got my period and she looked sad. My grandmother brought the flowers to me, said how pretty they were and that my mom only meant well. I love and appreciate the matriarchs in my family more than I can put into words. I wish I had the courage to celebrate with them that day.

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Red Food Dye

Inaaya S.  •  Michigan  •  21

 

When it was about winter I faked my period with food dye. My mom never noticed and thought it was my real one. 2 month later after my 12th birthday I was putting on a pad to fake my period for that month. My dad called my to go in the car for school and so I didn't have time for the food dye and pad so I just left.

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Later in school I was in math and it was group work time, I got up there was blood, I passed out, and got my REAL period. I`m never faking a period again!

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