How to write period/menstruation into your stories? And characters who menstruate

drawn by: Nili DooL

Menstruation and periods are a monthly reality for many people's lives. In this blog post, we'll explore how to write characters who also face this biological occurrence. Everything listed will be in the context of advice for writers and how to write these types of characters.

First, what are periods? Why do they happen? 

A period, also known as a menstrual cycle, is the normal monthly shedding of blood and tissue from the lining of the uterus (womb). During menstruation, menstrual blood and tissue flow from the uterus through the cervix and pass out of the body through the vagina. Menstruation usually occurs about every 28 days (except during pregnancy) and lasts 3 to 5 days, but this can vary from person to person. It normally starts during puberty and ends at menopause.

Nowadays, there are many different ways the menstrual cycle can be tracked. There are apps that can track the cycle, some people use notepads, the mini calendars (these can be useful for counting the days and so on...).

Outside of tracking the cycle itself, you can do some research into tampons, pads, menstrual cups

etc. Based on your research, you could conclude which option would be the best for your character.

Envoirment

Keep in mind, that the time your story takes place. This alone will affect how your character tracks their period cycle. 

Make sure to take into account the cultural and sociological standards of the environment the character is born into. Ask yourself the following:

- Does the character feel shame? 

- Is the period blood considered disgusting? Unclean, shameful? Or is it simply treated like a biological occurrence? 

- Do they attempt to educate someone who has no idea how the period functions? Or do they consider such a person a lost cause?

- Does the environment offer support?

- Is the period considered a taboo or not?

Now, more questions you can ask yourself when it comes to characters who have periods:

- Does your character even have menstruation? 

- How did characters deal with their first period?

- Is your character a young teen or an adult?

- How early or late did they get the period?

- Is your character a girl, a woman, trans, non-binary, or uses neon-pronouns? How does your character deal with periods based on their identity? Both personal and social identity?

- Do they consider periods to be taboo? Or is it just normal to them?

- Are they wearing pads, tampons and or pads?

- the hygiene? How do they deal with it?

- How do they deal with unclean underwear?

- How do they react if the period blood is visible through clothes?

- Do they get light or heavy cramps?

- Do they need medication to deal with the menstrual pain?

- Do they need to be hospitalised due to their pain?

Answering some of these questions can help you build the world around your character, as well as how your character handles this monthly occurrence. Consider having a timeline to help you keep track of the cycles (if nothing else, just for notes). You can even point out how certain menstrual phases affect your character.

Blood Magic, Menstrual Magick

If you wish to go in a more magical route, periods can be used in a form of blood magic. If your character is a witch, a magical practitioner, into new age, wicca or a closed practice and anything in between, feel free to write about them using period blood as blood magic, menstrual magick, however they decide to call it. It's one of the parts of witchcraft that could be forgotten if not pointed out, so take this as a reminder while you write your witchy characters.

by: Nili DooL