We have all had a period leak incident once or twice. They are natural and normal! In this blog, 5 women share their period leak stories.
Period leaks can be unexpected and unavoidable. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding periods can leave us feeling embarrassed when we have a period leak incident. This embarrassed feeling is usually down to the reaction of those around us.
Part of our period powerful messaging involves normalising periods and ending the silence surrounding them. This includes the subject of period leaks!
To show you just how normal they are, we spoke to 5 women in our community about their experiences with period leaks. Read on to hear their period leak stories.
Steph, Edinburgh
“I’ve got a few, but this is my most memorable one, and it still haunts me to this day!
My bf and I were in Barcelona for a few nights and my period arrived a day early and was really light, so I thought I was in for an easy time. On the flight back home I became very aware of how ‘sweaty’ my butt was on the leather seats of the plane. It wasn’t until we were descending down to land I realised ‘this isn’t sweat! It’s my f***ing period!’ The pressure on the plane must have made it all just want to erupt at the same time. I was soaking. And slightly worried as the seats of the plane were light grey.
Eventually, when we landed, I pushed my attendant light over and over again until I could persuade one of the flight attendants that I HAD to use the toilet ASAP! It was the worst leak I’d ever had. It was like the three days of my period just came at once. I had to create a make-shift pad out of the dire plane toilet roll and then sheepishly squelch to the airport loos. Thank goodness for my extra pants/clothes in my hand luggage!!!”
Lori, Northamptonshire
“I was once at a petrol pump and dropped my keys. After I’d picked them up a gentleman approached me and said ‘I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable at all, but when you picked your keys up I noticed you’ve had a leak and wanted to let you know in case you were going anywhere else’ I thanked him, not nearly as much as I should have as I was slightly shocked that he’d been brave and kind enough to approach the subject.
I hope we (men and women) can all be a little braver when it comes to normalising periods and removing the ‘dirty secret’ stigma.”
Michelle, Caerphilly
“I was at work one day and came on my period unexpectedly. Where I worked there was absolutely no shops around that could be reached by foot and I’d been given a lift into work that day. There were only men in my team, so couldn’t even ask any of my work colleagues for a tampon or pad. I also felt too embarrassed to say what had happened. I had to ring my mum and ask her to pick me up and just sit and wait until she came.”
Victoria, Kent
“I was about 16 and was with a group of boys outside my house. I was wearing white jeans, typically. We were sat talking for hours and when I eventually stood up they all pointed and laughed as I’d leaked all over my jeans. I ran inside crying and didn’t speak to them for weeks!”
Jaimee, Cardiff
“When I was 12 years old I was testing out my gorgeous new flared baby blue trousers on a sunny Saturday afternoon, out at the local shops with friends and a new boyfriend. All of a sudden the boys started making sick sounds, pointing and laughing at my backside. Yep…. you could have guessed! My period decided that this was the perfect time for her to announce her arrival. Bye bye, baby blue flares and bye bye, boyf. I should have realised then that it would take a strong-stomached man to stand by my side… very lucky to have found him”
Removing the shame
The more open we are about our periods, the less there is a stigma around them. Next time you see someone has had a period leak accident, help them out or politely and let them know (like the man in Lori’s story). Reassure them that it’s not embarrassing and offer to help. Shying away from it, staring or laughing only fuels their embarrassment and reinforces the idea that periods are shameful.
Do you have a period leak story? Let us know in the comments below or come and chat to us on socials! For more talk on period leaks, check out this blog here.
