For years, periods have been the ultimate “girls-only” secret. They’re whispered about in women’s washrooms, briefly mentioned in all-girls health class sessions you barely remember or more often than not, avoided altogether. Meanwhile, the other half of the world (boys, men and anyone who doesn’t menstruate) is left completely ignorant about menstrual education.
And that ignorance has come with a cost: awkwardness, stigma and missed opportunities for compassion. Because when they are left out of the conversation, they grow up believing that periods must be something to hide or even shameful.
But what if we changed that? What if we invited boys and men into the conversation, not to make them experts, but to make them allies? Let’s talk about why menstrual education for all matters and where we can start.
“It’s Just a Girl Thing,” Right? Why Should Boys and Men Even Care?
Sure, women and girls are the ones who menstruate. But the impact? That’s shared. Cramps, fatigue and hormonal shifts affect relationships, school, work and daily life.
When a partner, friend or family member is navigating pain or PMS, misunderstanding can lead to dismissive comments like, “Oh, it must be that time of the month”. That kind of remark doesn’t help. It hurts. It dismisses real feelings as hormonal drama. No wonder it can be hard for women to talk about their experiences. In fact, a study of over 42,000 women found that more than half (51.4%) didn’t tell their families what they were going through on their period, often making up other excuses.
And when boys and men understand this, they grow up to be more supportive partners, fathers, friends and colleagues. It’s not about memorizing cycles or dates or knowing every intimate detail. It’s about noticing the little things.
In one word: understanding.
Understanding that a friend isn’t just “being difficult” when she cancels plans. Understanding that a partner needs her space without taking it personally. Understanding that your mother might need help with chores today. Understanding that sometimes all you need to do is listen without judgment or jokes.
These small gestures of support are powerful, but most boys are never taught that they’re an option. And to understand why, we have to look at how they’ve been taught to look away.
You Will Find Out When the Time is Right: Why Boys and Men Were Left Out in the First Place
No one held a meeting and decided to exclude boys from period education. It’s a messy tangle of culture, tradition and generations of silence, surrounded by myths that paint periods as “impure” or “unclean.”
This culture of silence means most boys don’t learn about periods in a formal, factual way.
Think about it, you’re told to dispose of your pad discreetly so your brother or father don’t notice. You hesitate to ask a male friend to buy a pad, even if it’s urgent. As a student, you power through cramps without telling a male teacher you need to visit the clinic. You sit for long meetings in the same pad because telling your male boss would be awkward.
Part of this comes from how bodies are taught at school. Boys and girls usually learn about their anatomies in separate groups and when periods are discussed, it often stays only with the girls. That early separation reinforces menstruation as a girls-only territory.
As a result, research shows that boys often first encounter menstruation as a “mysterious incident”. It might be finding a blood stain on a sheet or witnessing a sister’s first period and being told, “You will find out when the time is right.”
Left to figure it out on their own, boys might hear about periods in different ways, sometimes from friends, sometimes from the internet or sometimes from family members. The information they get isn’t always complete, which can leave them confused, curious and in some cases, misinformed.
The Real Cost of Silence: Teasing, Stigma and Gender Inequality
When ignorance is the only education boys receive, the consequences are real and damaging. It fuels teasing, jokes, and ridicule that reinforce the idea that periods are gross or shameful. For girls, this isn’t just embarrassing. It can be deeply isolating, especially when, for many, periods already come with physical discomfort like cramps, bloating, fatigue or irritation.
This stigma has a measurable impact. According to studies, one in three girls in South Asia misses school during her period. They stay home out of fear of leaks, of being made fun of, often by boys.
UNICEF has recorded several such stories. Take 15-year-old Abdul’s sister, Danielle. She once locked herself in her room, in tears, refusing to go to school because she had just started her first period. She was scared of the mockery or shame she might have to face in her class.
And it doesn’t stop at school. Many young women skip college lectures, call in sick to work or avoid social events for the same reasons. The silence around menstruation chips away at confidence, limits opportunities and quietly deepens gender inequality in every sphere of life.
From Clueless to Menstrual Allies: Why Menstrual Education for Boys and Men Changes Everything
When boys and men understand menstruation, it creates a ripple effect of positive change. It reframes menstrual health as a human issue, not just a “women’s issue”.
In Abdul’s case, he had recently been part of a period-positive program at his school, one that included boys in the conversation. So instead of teasing his sister, he sat down beside her. He told her it was normal, explained what she could do and reminded her she wasn’t alone. That one small conversation gave his sister the confidence to get up, manage her period and go back to school.
This kind of allyship extends beyond the classroom, too. In India, Basant Lal, a father of eight daughters, attended a menstrual health workshop and began openly supporting his girls. He started buying sanitary napkins for them, something once unthinkable in his community.
Even when mocked by other men in his village, he stood firm: “I don’t mind. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
And that’s the point. When boys are included in menstrual education, they don’t just learn facts. They learn empathy. They become allies who can help break the silence, whether it’s at school, in college, at work or in everyday life. It doesn’t just ease the burden on girls and women, it transforms communities, breaks cycles of shame and brings us closer to true gender equality.
So, How Do We Actually Start the Conversation?
This might seem like a huge cultural shift, but it starts with simple steps like awareness. After all, occasions like International Literacy Day remind us that knowledge is power. And the encouraging part? Most men are ready for it. A study found that more than two-thirds of men believe menstrual education is essential for all genders. They actually want to be part of the solution.
Here’s what can be done:
- Speak to boys and girls about puberty and menstruation in the same room to send a clear message that this is everyone’s business.
- Make menstruation a normal family topic (not just a “mom-daughter” secret), which involves fathers and brothers. (Here’s a guide on how to do it)
- Drop the euphemisms like “that time of the month” and use clear terms like period and menstruation.
- Don’t just talk about the biology. Talk about the cramps, cravings, and what it feels like.
Breaking Generations of Silence Isn’t Easy, But it’s Necessary.
Menstruation is a human experience that deserves to be met with understanding and dignity from everyone. Including boys and men in the conversation isn’t about shaming them for what they don’t know. It’s about empowering them to be the supportive and compassionate allies they want to be. Knowledge builds comfort, comfort leads to open discussion, and openness creates a healthier, more equitable world for all of us.
