00:00Hi, I'm Asia, and here are the five things you need to know about your period.
00:04No, it was so close!
00:07And I'm going to chew when I get as well through.
00:10I got this.
00:12The first thing you need to know about your period is exactly what it is.
00:15Let's keep this simple, class.
00:17During this time, one of your ovaries will release an egg for fertilization.
00:20If the egg is not fertilized, the uterus will shed its lining, and that is why you bleed
00:25each month.
00:26Reasons for which you won't get your period is if you're taking hormones, if you're
00:29taking birth control pills, which also affects your hormones, and if you're pregnant, which
00:34also affects your hormones.
00:36The second thing you need to know about your period is how to combat your bleeding.
00:39You know, just in case that red devil shows up and you don't want to ruin your favorite
00:43pair of underwear.
00:44Now, of course I say this jokingly because it's not like you're dying.
00:47It means that your body's natural reproductive system is in working order.
00:50Everyone knows about pads, but let's tackle the most popular and most feared feminine hygiene
00:54product, the tampon.
00:56I've heard and read enough traumatic stories about them to turn me off from using them
01:00until I was 18.
01:01Now, they're the only thing I use.
01:03You can find these in different types based on how heavy your flow is.
01:06Using an applicator actually makes this process easier, and I recommend it to beginners.
01:11Most women use these because you can't see it, you can barely feel it, and it works well
01:16if you're very active.
01:17Regardless of all of this, some people may still be afraid of using tampons.
01:21However, there are other alternatives out there to use that may be worth investing in.
01:25The third thing you need to know about your period are the alternative ways to beat your
01:29bleeding.
01:30Menstruation has sparked innovation.
01:32For example, the menstrual cup is a flexible, rubbery cup that you literally insert into yourself
01:37to catch the blood that drips.
01:38These are often reusable and can be a money saver in the long run because you can wash them
01:42and sterilize them after each cycle.
01:45Then there are natural sea sponges.
01:46They work in the same way that any tampon would.
01:49Then, like any other sponge, rinse them out.
01:51Probably the most obvious but still revolutionary innovation is the period panty.
01:56Not to be confused with the granny panties that you set aside for your time of the month.
02:00These babies were built with period absorption right in the lining.
02:03The largest stipulation here is that these alternatives are a little harder to find and often really
02:08expensive.
02:09The fourth thing you need to know about your period is what they don't teach you.
02:12The toll it actually takes on you.
02:14Okay, so they mention that you may have cramps, nausea, fatigue, maybe even acne.
02:19They fail to mention you may go through a lot of vomiting and could possibly be hospitalized
02:24for the pain and your symptoms.
02:25They don't tell you that you can actually have sex on your period or that your heart may
02:30stop with the fear of possibly being pregnant when mother nature does not show up on time.
02:34And they don't tell you that if you're trans and have a period, no one else may understand
02:37what you're going through.
02:38Periods historically have been considered a concern of cisgender women when really it's
02:43more complex than that.
02:44For this reason, maybe we should rethink some of the ways that we teach this in sex ed courses.
02:49The fifth and final thing you need to know about your period is free bleeding.
02:52This is really for my bold revolutionaries out there.
02:55Free bleeding is not a new concept, but in many ways it's the latest feminist fight to make
02:59period care products more of an affordable necessity for women.
03:02Also, many women just don't have access to these products.
03:05Periods are something that we should just be able to comfortably speak about in the world.
03:09I know, sometimes when you first get your period, you may feel a little bit embarrassed
03:13or like your childhood is slowly shedding itself.
03:16Metaphorically, at the same time your uterine lining is shedding each month.
03:19But getting your period is nothing to be ashamed of.
03:22That's it for the five things you need to know about your period.
03:25Catch you next time.
