Free the Flow

Lupita McGregor

Sitting in bed, curled up in excruciating pain from my menstrual cramps, I found myself faced with a difficult decision. Do I suck it up and go to work like I always have, or do I listen to my body and take the day off? For years, I had struggled with this decision, dreading the prospect of having to explain my absence to my boss and colleagues. But on this particular day, something shifted inside me. I realized that I couldn't keep hiding my period and suffering in silence - it was time to stand up for my right to take care of my body.

And so, I mustered up the courage to have a tough conversation with my boss. I explained to him the pain I was in, and how it was affecting my ability to work. I told him that I needed to take the day off to rest and recover, and that I hoped he would support me in this decision. It was a nerve-wracking conversation, but to my surprise, my boss was understanding, not empathetic, but he understood.

This conversation was a turning point in my life. It made me realize that I had the power to advocate for my menstrual health and stand up for my right to take care of my body. From that day on, I began to change the way I worked and planned my life around my menstrual cycle. I started to track my period and plan meetings, events, and activities accordingly. I made sure to take breaks when I needed them and to prioritize self-care during my period.

But I didn't stop there. I also started to be an advocate for my period, anything from saying the word “period” in meetings to sharing my experiences and struggles with my colleagues and friends. I talked openly about my menstrual cycle and encouraged others to do the same, with or without shame. And to my surprise, many of them began to share their own stories and experiences. It was a revolution - we were breaking free from the cycle of shame and taboo surrounding periods and embracing our menstrual health.

Soon enough, I had colleagues and friends sharing that they were starting to be more open about their periods, and the liberation this made them feel. They were no longer hiding in shame, but instead were empowered to take control of their menstrual health and advocate for themselves. We even started to use the phrase "free the flow" - a play on the "free the nipple" movement - to describe our new-found sense of empowerment.

Many women face stigma and discrimination when seeking medical care for menstrual-related issues. We needed to work to break down these barriers and create a world where menstrual health was prioritized and celebrated. Through my journey to menstrual empowerment, I learned that our periods are not something to be ashamed of. They are a natural and beautiful part of our womanhood, and we should be proud of them. By changing the way we view our periods and advocating for better menstrual health, we can break free from the cycle of shame and taboo surrounding periods and create a world where all women are empowered to take control of their bodies and their health.

My journey to menstrual empowerment started with a difficult decision - whether to go to work or take care of my body. But that decision led to a new way of life, where I was able to plan my work and activities around my menstrual cycle and advocate for my own menstrual health. And through sharing my experiences and advocating for better menstrual health, I was able to empower other women to do the same. Free the flow, y’all!

Lupita McGregor is a community wellness advocate. She works collaboratively with people to find personalized well-being tools to regain control of their health. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Psychology at Harvard University and is founder of a start-up focusing on scalable mental-health applications for under served populations.