22-year-old Gabrielle Schlegel from Alberta, Canada once felt ‘disgust’ when she got blood on her hands while changing her tampons.
But now, she uses her menstrual blood as a face mask and even paints with it.
Gabrielle first got her period when she was 13. After she became sexually active in her late teens, her menstruation became painful that she spent those days dreading.
But things changed when she discovered yoga in 2014. She also saw a woman using her period blood to paint on social media in 2018.
Gabrielle, who loved to paint, also wanted to try to make paintings with menstrual blood so she decided to collect it in a menstrual cup.
She says that painting with her menstrual period helps her to fully connect with her body’s needs and wants.
In addition, she also takes time to pamper herself with menstrual blood face masks. She said it helps her keep her skin glowing while preventing breakouts.
“Aside from the unfortunately common feelings of dirtiness and shame, as a teenager, I felt as though my period was a great nuisance,” Gabrielle expressed.
“Being an athlete, I wasn’t very fond of it due to the low bodily energy which impacted my athletic performance.
“The increased care and rest that my body needed while bleeding felt like a burden, and as adulthood approached, it preluded much pain and discomfort. Therefore, naturally I began to dread the onset of blood each month.
“Many feel ashamed and embarrassed, simply because they were taught to feel that way. We are so casually encouraged to enshroud and be discreet about our most innate, human life-giving processes. That does not come naturally.”
Gabrielle continued: “For thousands of years, societies have been ruled by males and more masculine ideals, in which menstruation was not the most embraced or of critical importance in accepting.
“Thus resulting in generations of shameful mothers inadvertently teaching their daughters to feel that same shame their mother taught them to feel in regards to their monthly bleed.
“I once felt utter disgust when my blood would accidentally get on my hands while changing my tampons as a teenager. Physical feelings of nausea would literally come over me. As mentioned earlier, these feelings are not natural, but taught.
“Once I overcame the shameful feelings of disgust I was conditioned to feel in regards to these acts, feelings of freedom, empowerment, and a love for my body gracefully replaced them.”
Gabrielle now wants to encourage women to embrace their period and see it as an amazing experience.
“I want to help others feel good about it as well. Because our lives have become so visually orientated with the influence of social media and I am continually inspired by those sharing their truths online, I knew it would be the perfect tool to reach many people at once with my message.”
She added: “I know that there are many people that will not accept this as truth or find any inspiration in this whatsoever, and that is totally okay with me. Because those people that are meant to, shall, and that is enough incentive for me to keep sharing.
“I have received many positive comments from those who bleed all over the world, letting me know that they have tried using their menstrual blood as paint or as a face mask, inspired by my posts.
“There is nothing that makes me happier than to know that something I share has encouraged someone to accept and love themselves and their body more, especially in regard to something so taboo within our society.
“No amount of negativity will ever surmount the feelings that follow another human being’s empowerment as a result of sharing my truth.”
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