Yvette

Brief Outline:

Yvette is 18. She was living with her grandparents when her periods started when she was 13, and didn’t tell anyone she had started till she moved back to live with her mum. She managed by using her lunch money to buy period products, and with the support of being able to talk with her best friend. She had learned about periods at school but would like to see more encouragement for people to talk about periods and have support and advice. She reflects that there is still stigma about talking about periods, for example when people make posts on social media, there is sometimes criticism in the chat underneath that can affect people and influence how confident they are talking about periods in the real world, and she would like to see this change. She thinks doctors can help by making all young people feel safe and wanted and welcome if they come to talk about periods with them. 

Yvette has noticed that when people make positive statements about periods on social media, the response comments can be critical. She thinks this impacts people’s confidence.

Can you tell me a bit more about what you've noticed about that, or whether that's something you were taught, or you just noticed from watching other people?

Yeah. From what I see around, it's like if someone is talking about things like even on social media, if you see people make any comments about that or talking about their periods in the comment section, there will be like, is there something you need to talk about here? Is there some like they would be telling? It's not something you need to talk about publicly, but it's quite the opposite.

Yeah, that's really interesting. So, so even on social media, if people do talk about it, you've noticed that they get a bit of commentary saying, why are you doing that? You shouldn't be doing that.

Yeah.

And how does that play out? Like in conversations with your friends, do you feel like that make- has an impact?

Yeah. If you know, when the person reads all these comments and then they come to their real life, they will think it's the same way you are going to, like, see it. It is the same way on social media is the same way as real life, where social media is different, even when the person can say that to your face, they wouldn't say it how they said it on social media, you know? Social media is like where people feel empowered that they can say any sort of thing to you, but I think in real life they cannot say that to you. It’s just social media - they are hiding behind an account and they're saying whatever they want to say, but I don't think you are saying it in real life. If someone can tell you that it's normal or anything, yeah.

That's really, really interesting. So, in the space where people could feel most empowered, they are still being criticised?

Yeah.

So, when they- so you think when they come to their real life, they'll be knowing about that?

Yeah.

Have I- have I understood that?

Yes, please.

Yvette wishes she had always been comfortable talking about periods because she has learned that, when people share experiences, everyone gains knowledge.

I should have been comfortable talking about it with anyone. I think everyone has a- has different experiences. They would share. Then you know what you are going into and what you have to know. I think they will teach you so many stuff if you ask, because lots of education is not based for knowledge, is not from one person. It's basically from everyone. Someone can know something that the other doesn't know, so if you ask and you’re comfortable asking, I think you would get lots of knowledge from it, yeah.