Throughout my life, I have made many small decisions to better myself and express who I am. These decisions, such as choosing not to shave, have made me more confident in being the most honest version of myself that I can show. In doing so, I have found other companions and communities of like-minded people to share these feelings with. Being a part of something, even something small, can feel so huge and rewarding especially when you are participating with so many others.
Like many people, I am positive that I’m not the only one who gets annoyed when it comes to the monthly arrival of the period. Ah, yes, that wonderful time of the month. And it is quite wonderful, truth be told. Our bodies are amazing and only recently have I decided to try and embrace my period for what it is. I have been on a long, often difficult road to self-love and in recent months have felt the best about my body than I have in years. In fact, I feel like I am glowing with the newfound love that I have for my body.
However, the most recent period in my life came with some reevaluating that I didn’t even expect to happen or know that I needed. I have always been on the ‘eh’ side when it comes to my period. I didn’t really care about it, yet it felt bothersome and tedious. The only thing that really pressed me was wearing a tampon or pad. That alone made me so annoyed, that I would sometimes refuse to wear anything at all. It was as if I was getting revenge on my period like, “Haha! Take that!” But when I woke up the other morning to a red stain in my underwear, I simply thought, “what’s the point?”
This began a sequence of thinking about my period that I probably would have never expected a few months ago. I knew what free bleeding was but I decided to do some more research anyway. Free bleeding is exactly what it sounds like. It is refraining from using any sanitary products such as tampons or pads and bleeding without any restraints. What surprised me the most is how common free bleeding is, yet how uncommon it is at the same time. We rarely hear about it, but there is a huge community supporting the habit.
Free bleeding made headlines in 2015 when Kiran Gandhi ran the London marathon on her period, while free bleeding.
There are many reasons why people free bleed. Elimination of waste, raising awareness on the lack of hygiene products around the world and being cost friendly are just some of the reasons why people are turning to free bleeding.
Our bodies are beautiful and the things it does are incredible. I have realized that I cannot fully embrace my body without embracing its natural functions. I am no longer annoyed with my period because it’s a beautiful occurrence and the very fact that I have the ability to make another human inside me is insanely overwhelming, in the best possible way. To know that I am not contributing to waste makes me feel great, even if it is something small. And not shoving a sterilized wad of cotton up my vagina feels even better, to say the least.
