Anabelle – 24YO ‘Super Dad’
First Period – 14YO
I was staying at my Dad’s house for the weekend. All day I was experiencing the most excruciating cramps; a foreign feeling for me. I hadn’t experienced this kind of pain, shooting through my lower back and stomach. As I went to the bathroom, it was almost a moment of stage fright,I had been totally prepared through school for this day but when it came down to it, I had no idea what to do. I just started screaming. I could hear my dad sprinting down the hallway. I knew I’d have to awkwardly explain why I was carrying on. He knocks. ‘Are you okay? What’s happened?’. I uncomfortably explained, ‘Dad I just got my period and I need… something’. I honestly didn’t know what that something was. A hug? A female figure? Anything to make myself feel normal. The next thing I hear is him bolting out of the house, nearly taking out the front door. I waited on the toilet for about half an hour. Finally, he was back. He pushed a few products under the door; both pads and tampons. I looked at the packaging. They were both labelled SUPER – I guess with all the screaming, my Dad thought that was the best call. I looked down - WHAT THE HELL DO I DO WITH SUPER TAMPONS? Anyway, the world didn’t end - but it surely felt like it did.
Aimee -25YO ‘Rose Coloured Glasses’
First Period – 13YO
I was at the Optometrist for an eye exam. During my appointment, I was given dilation liquid for a test, these drops temporarily impair your vision. Midway through the testing I asked to use the bathroom as I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had wet my pants. While half blind, I stumbled my way, hands first on the walls, trying to navigate to the bathroom stalls. Finally, I sat myself down on the toilet and looked down to notice a mild discolouration on my underwear. Were the drops in my eyes totally screwing with me? I couldn’t identify what it was for the life of me, so I folded up some scratchy toilet paper, put it in my underwear, and went on with my day. It wasn’t until I got to school and I noticed that same sinking feeling, so I asked one of my classmates to come and inspect. It was then that I realised I had my first period and 2 ply toilet paper was not going to do the trick.
Sofia – 23YO ‘Period Fairy'
First Period 12YO
When I first got my period, I didn’t tell my Mum because I was totally embarrassed. I was in primary school finishing year 6- lucky me. She found blood in my bed and just presumed. I was so young, and had no idea what to do, so I piled in the toilet paper and secured it with two pairs of underwear – utterly genius. This went on for a few days and many pairs of undies later. One morning, I woke up to find $50 under my pillow. Freaking out, I dug around furiously in my mouth to confirm I hadn’t somehow performed a dental extraction in my sleep. While happy to be noticeably richer, I was still totally confused and went to my Mum with questions. When I asked her, she smiled knowingly and told me the period fairy had come.
Monique – 25YO ‘Swimming in it’
First Period 12YO
I had just gotten home from swimming training, mind you I was wearing a light blue one piece, that was a little on the skimpy side. I sat down for dinner with the family as usual, in my swimming attire, when all of a sudden, I felt like I had peed myself. I looked down and found that I was sitting in a pool, and not the type filled with chlorine. It had leaked all through my bathers and onto our white upholstered chairs. Talk about a rough day at swimming training.