Misconceptions around Period Sex

By Moksha Garg

Sex is normal. Periods are normal. Picture credits: The Peak

Most people in India still consider ‘sex’ and ‘period’ to be taboo subjects. They refuse to talk about it openly and also discourage others like it’s not the most common thing every other person experiences on a daily basis.

Sex is normal. Periods are normal. Yet just the thought of having sex during periods sends a lot of people running out of the bedroom. They cringe at the thought of it and start spilling out all sorts of misconceptions and myths to make period sex sound like some kind of monstrous activity.

Most seem to believe that sex during periods is messy and painful, unhygienic and unhealthy. They believe in myths like “Your partner will catch STI”, “You cannot get pregnant from period sex”, or stuff like “Periods can get worse after sex”. So, in order to know if people really do believe period sex to be what it is made out to be, The Deed asked around and got to know about others' experiences and misconceptions about period sex.

“When I'm on my period, my hormones are extreme. Along with the pain, I have terrible mood swings. So once, my boyfriend suggested that we have sex despite me bleeding. I was hesitant at first because I was wondering if I'd stain the sheets or if he would be grossed out by the blood; however, it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I felt so much better afterwards, and he didn't even care about the blood on the condom. I was, of course, a little bit disgusted, but that's probably because we've been subjected to think that it is disgusting. Looking back, I realize that it's absolutely normal and actually good to just do it. Period sex helps in relieving some of the pain, and you're also in a better mood irrespective of finishing (coming) or not,” told Anna.

When asked about her misconceptions about period sex and did they prove her wrong, she said, “I did have a doubt if he would get infected because of the blood or whether my cycle would be disrupted, but actually nothing of that sort happened. There are just a lot of superstitions around the topic, which are not at all true. I’ve heard people say stuff like… your body is a temple, and when you bleed, it's unholy, so if you have sex, you're transferring the unholiness to your partner.”

Period sex can be a bit messy, but it is safe. Picture credits: imbuenatural

“The first time I had period sex, my partner of the time freaked out thinking it was blood from their genitals. Initially, I used to hold myself back because I thought it’d get too messy, and it felt weird to even tell my partner that I was on my period. I didn’t think they’d understand. But eventually, when they learnt about it themselves, they started to initiate conversations about/around periods. I think it took us almost 7-8 months of being together to actually get that comfortable to even be able to talk about it and then more to actually go ahead with it. But talking about it just makes the experience so much better. People often think that you don’t need to use protection during period sex. But it’s very important to wear it then too. Now I can confidently say… Period sex is the best sex. Period,” said Anonymous.

Having sex while menstruating can provide relief from menstrual cramps. Picture credits: Instagram.com/@aavneeg

Our curiosity was not only limited to the girls. We asked some guys about their experience too, and here’s what one of them told us.

“When we did it for the first time, I was not sure, but as it turned out, it was both pleasurable and dirty for both of us. Since she is bleeding, it helps her cramps and shortens her periods. I don’t find it gross anymore,” said Jijeesh K Jaimon.

Upon talking about myths around the topic, he said, “People used to gross out… say it’s forbidden, dirty and smelly. The biggest one I heard was that you could not get pregnant if you have sex during periods. For me, I would say the only misconception was, what if it hurts the girl and she starts bleeding more? I believe that sex is messy, but good sex is messier. People should enjoy sex (obviously with consent) and never forget to use protection.”

Be it period sex or regular sex, it is all up to personal preference. Whether you choose to do it or not, it surely is surrounded by a lot of shame-based stigmas. Not only can you have sex while menstruating, but it is not always as messy as one might believe.