Religious menstrual neglect is so real and terrifying

To keep this short, I was never given period products throughout my youth. My parents were super religious. Periods were taboo and they would never waste money on period products.

As expected, tampons were never to be worn. It would go into your vagina, therefore taking your virginity. So I was never given a choice.

I was barely given pads. The ones I found and/or stole, I cut them in half to last me a week. I would wear a singular pad for a couple days to a week. I would get into major trouble if I were to bleed through. I had no money. I had no one to give me products. The school system didn’t care because we were a religious town. You couldn’t ask them for products, because they would share and berate you for asking such intimate questions. I soon developed bacterial vaginismus and other infections.

Religion is cruel. Everything they did was justified by a verse in that book. This was 21 years ago. I just hope more kids are given proper menstrual products.