Bodies Unfiltered

By Kat K.

“It’s just a part of life.” 

“You aren’t the only one who deals with it.” 

“Toughen up. It’s just cramps.”

If you have heard this before, you know what it’s like to have your pain invalidated. From the first period to menopause, people are made to feel like period pain is standard and okay to be ignored. Simply put, period pain needs to be acknowledged, understood, and empathized with. 

The statements above minimize real pain that isn’t easy to ignore, even if the world around you has no problem ignoring it. Period pain ranges in severity, and for some it is more than just mild. Conditions such as endometriosis or PMDD can make period pain debilitating, yet those who suffer are still expected to function normally. Diminishing the reality of period pain only makes it harder for people with these conditions to get diagnosed, as society has conditioned us to ignore pain associated with “womanly issues.” It is dangerous to ignore period pain as it could lead to a missed diagnosis and future health complications, just like any other pain.

Feeling like your insides are ripping apart for a whole week, 12 times a year, isn’t easy. Feeling like this pain isn’t real makes it even worse. Throughout history, women’s pain has been catastrophically under-researched and therefore, under-treated. Even in 2025, there is not nearly as much research on period pain as there could be if women were historically seen and valued as equals. Nearly half of the world’s population being forced to endure pain and act like it doesn’t exist has led to a lack of understanding and a lack of compassion towards period pain. As someone who goes through this pain every month, even I have taught myself to go about my day as normal, as if the pain isn’t there. This not only makes me feel horrible for having to miss work or a social event because of cramps, it makes me feel like I don’t understand my own body. If everyone else is telling me I’m fine, why do I feel like my uterus is being torn apart? (Hint: It’s because it is!)

Don’t get me wrong, cramps aren’t always day stopping or world ending, but they can be. Instead of dismissing all levels of pain, it is important to be compassionate towards someone going through menstrual pain. Cramps are real, they hurt, and they shouldn’t be ignored just because some people don’t experience them. Just because you don’t have arthritis doesn’t mean you would tell someone with it to “toughen up.” You would be empathetic, understanding, and maybe even try to help them feel better. It should be the same for periods. 

Just by talking about the reality of our period pain we can start to shift the conversation to be more empathetic rather than critical. Opening up about living with cramps, and believing our pain when we feel it, are ways to break the stigma against menstrual pain. Never apologize for your pain and for taking the time to rest, heal, and feel better. Your period pain is real and should be cared for like any other type of pain, regardless of what society says.