Ever said that sentence like it was classified information? A whispered confession? Like you were revealing some wild secret rather than stating a fact about your body?
Yep. Us too.
Let’s be real for a minute — the other day, I pulled a tampon from my bag, and instead of just walking to the loo like a normal human, I shoved it into my jeans like I was smuggling diamonds. The kicker? I work here at Hey Sister!, where we literally champion period wellness. If that’s not proof that the stigma runs deep, what is?
It’s time. Let’s talk about it. Loudly. Proudly. Boldly. Let’s #FreeTheBleed.
The Secret Mission of the Tampon Hand-Off
We’ve all done it. The awkward eye contact. The quick sleight of hand. Passing a tampon in a lecture theatre, under the dinner table, even in a boardroom. Like it’s contraband. Like we’ll be fined for being seen with it.
This tiny cotton item becomes a symbol of something bigger: silence. Shame. Secrecy.
But why? Who decided that periods — which, reminder, half the planet experiences — are something to be hidden?
We Whisper. We Apologise. We Hide.
Let’s play a game: How many of these have you done?
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Whispered “I’ve got my period” to a friend.
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Apologised for being “a bit moody” because you're bleeding.
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Wrapped a pad in toilet paper so no one would see it in the bin.
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Avoided standing up in white pants... just in case.
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Pretended a heat pack on your belly was for “a sore tummy” not cramps.
We are conditioned, from the first time we bleed, to believe periods are embarrassing. Something to be managed in secret. To “get on with it” and keep the mess, the mood, the bloating, the blood out of sight and definitely out of conversation.
But here's the thing: your period isn’t dirty. It’s not unprofessional. And it’s sure as hell not something to apologise for.
Period Power: Let’s Rewrite the Narrative
Periods are natural. They’re powerful. They’re a sign of strength, resilience and the bloody miracle that is the reproductive system.
Still, media, culture, and even school textbooks have a history of treating periods like a problem. TV ads show blue liquid instead of red blood. Period pain is often brushed off. Menstrual health is underfunded. And people still say “it’s that time of the month” like it’s something shameful.
We say: Enough.
Let’s take the tampon out of the sleeve. Let’s swap whispers for confidence. Let’s take up space — even when we’re bloated, bleeding and in pain.
Free the Bleed: What Does It Really Mean?
Free the Bleed isn’t about shouting “I’m bleeding!” at your local café (although, go off if that’s your vibe).
It’s about normalising the conversation. Removing the shame. Letting go of the secrecy that’s been stitched into us since puberty.
Here’s how we do it:
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Name it. Say the word “period.” Loud and proud. No more code words like “Aunt Flo” or “shark week” unless you’re using them ironically.
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Share it. If you’re in pain, tell someone. You deserve rest and care, not to suffer in silence.
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Support others. Call out period shaming. Celebrate people who speak up. Create safe spaces for honest conversations.
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Show it. Period products in your bag, on your desk, in your bathroom — they’re part of life. No need to hide them like they’re cursed objects.
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Soothe it. Take your natural pain relief. Whether it’s a heat pack, yoga, or a herbal remedy like Hey Sister! you deserve to feel better, your way.
Proudly PERIOD. Boldly MENOPAUSE.
When the founders of Hey Sister! were creating our packaging, there was one thing they knew for sure: no more hiding.
They didn’t want soft, ambiguous language. They didn’t want whispery branding that tiptoed around the truth.
They wanted the words PERIOD and MENOPAUSE front and centre — bold, loud, unapologetic. Because it’s time we felt proud of something that is bloody natural.
That choice was about more than design. It was a statement. A daily reminder that there’s no shame in your cycle. No need to tuck away your health in pastel wrappers and euphemisms.
So leave your packet of Hey Sister! out on your desk. On your bathroom shelf. In your handbag, proudly visible. Let it be what it is — a symbol of self-care, power, and pride.
The Cultural Shift Starts With Us
We’re not saying every conversation has to be about cycles. But when we do talk about periods, let’s strip away the shame.
Let’s raise the next generation of all genders to understand menstruation, not fear or mock it. Let’s call out those snide “time of the month” comments and change the script.
And let’s stop hiding pads up our sleeves.
A Note to Our Younger Selves
To every version of you that was scared to leak, scared to ask for a tampon, scared to say “I’m bleeding” out loud — we see you.
You did the best you could in a world that taught you to be small, silent, and sorry.
But we’re not sorry anymore.
We are unapologetically bleeding, and we’re building a world where that’s not just okay — it’s powerful.
Join the Movement
So what now?
📣 Share this post.
📣 Tell your story.
📣 Talk about your period.
📣 Keep pads and tampons out in the open.
📣 Leave your packet of Hey Sister! on your desk or your table — let them see it.
📣 Bring a little boldness to every cycle.
Because when we own our bodies and honour our cycles, we’re not just freeing the bleed. We’re freeing ourselves.
Periods are not a secret mission. They are not shameful. They do not need euphemisms or whispered apologies.
They are part of life — messy, beautiful, painful, miraculous.
And at Hey Sister!, we’re here for all of it. With 100% organic, plant-based support like Hey Sister! we help our community manage their cycles without the silence. Without the shame.
So next time you grab a tampon, don’t hide it. Hold it like the powerful symbol it is. The world can get used to it.
We already have.
