I remember reading “Are you there God? It’s me Margaret” by Judy Blume in my first year at secondary school. It was one of those books that was passed around our year – it was almost a rite of passage.

Without reviewing the book, one of the main reasons it was so popular was because most of us could identify with 11 year old Margaret. We too were anxious about adolescence and all the changes that went with it, i.e. bras, boys and periods. For Margaret, and most of my friends, the thought of starting your period was exciting. It meant you were part of a new club, you were more grown up – and so you were envious of your friends if they started before you. Periods were to be celebrated.

Little did we think about the realities, or how many years of periods we had ahead of us! For many, periods are inconvenient, scary, messy, painful or sometimes disappointing (“I’m not pregnant”).

Everybody’s experience is different, and everyone needs to feel that their experience is understood.

The narrative is shifting but should brands do more to reflect the realities of women’s experiences?

Now, where did I put my rollerskates?!