How to Destigmatize Menstruation, One Period at a Time

Let’s face—periods aren’t going anywhere. This was something I realized as I laid in bed one evening with my period and caught sight of the wings from my pad. Although this extra layer offered the protection I needed during that time of the month, this non-discreet quality did not seem very modern in this day in
age and annoyed me. “Why can’t we have more stylish yet functional protection?” I thought to myself. This moment opened my eyes to the lack of modern menstrual products for young girls and women.

As a mother, I know how important it is to have a menstrual care option that is safe, easy to use and helps celebrate a young girl’s growth. Discussing menstruation as a monumental rite-of-passage and making her first-period experience as positive as possible influences how a young girl views menstruation. While this conversation is an important introduction to puberty, the topic still remains taboo for many families. After helping my own daughter navigate the ups and downs of her first period, I was disappointed with the lack of options to provide her and decided enough was enough.

In August 2015, I figured we’d destigmatize and eliminate the negativity surrounding the monthly experience, and the rest is history. The notion of stylish and functional period protection, although an initial thought, turned into hundreds of samples to see what worked. Who knew that millions of other women felt the same way? Samples turned into PantyProp, and PantyProp into Ruby Love—a period protection brand offering leak-proof apparel that equips young girls and women with the tools they need to manage their period while destigmatizing menstruation so that period days can be just like any other day. 

With my daughter and a world of prepubescent young ladies to follow, I knew that it was also important to deliver a positive message and influence surrounding periods. This inspired our mission and led to the launch of our First Period Kit that is filled with informative, hygienic and fun items that celebrate a girl’s growth through puberty and helps prepare for her first period. The whole idea is to normalize periods, making it less embarrassing and more of an accepted, and even celebrated, the rite of passage that all girls go through while encouraging families to have conversations about puberty in a fun way.

It is our hope that breaking down menstrual taboos allows families to have open dialogues about puberty, which will help bring them closer together while empowering young girls. Whether it be through education, hosting a ‘period party’ for your daughter, openly talking about puberty, or exploring the now growing number of period protection alternatives, we can accomplish that together. Regular menstrual periods in the years between puberty and menopause are a sign that your body is working normally, and there is nothing negative about that!