Like A Girl

Blood phobia.

That’s what they say.

I am afraid of the blood, and not

what it means.

Fight like a girl.

Strong like a girl.

Exist like a girl.

I am reminded by too-loud plastic packaging that I must do everything

like a girl,

as if the blood staining the back of my jeans wasn’t enough of a reminder.

I would like my encouragement without a

side of misgendering

please.

Explanation: On packaging for pads and tampons, many of the messages written on the packaging use the words "girl" or "woman," but not all people who menstruate identify as women. Many people who identify as non-binary or men still menstruate due to being assigned female at birth. I took note of this and found inspiration for a poem discussing how something as simple as packaging can make an already triggering experience for non-women with a period even more difficult.

This poem won third in Nymeria Publishing's monthly poetry contest.