The scene is a cold January morning on the way to work, driving by a bloody billboard proudly telling us to own the flow; whatever that means. Brewing a feeling of distaste and discomfort at that sight, before even having had the first morning coffee. The song Only a Woman to Me, plays on the radio; a picture-perfect soundscape to how women are often patronised, pitied, and infantilised. Billy Joel goes on how "she'll promise you more than the Garden of Eden, then she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleedin', but she brings out the best and the worst you can be. Blame it all on yourself, 'cause she's always a woman to me."

Returning to the billboard, from a marketing perspective, the campaign succeeded in its primary goal: it sparked conversation. However, in terms of raising awareness and normalising menstruation, this approach is neither the most effective nor the most appropriate. There are far better strategies than provoking discomfort by confronting commuters with such imagery.

Speaking as a woman, I strongly believe that framing menstruation through disgust in an attempt to overcome shame is not on. While it encourages women who menstruate to "own it" as a form of empowerment, the message overlooks how such empowerment can be meaningfully achieved, beyond merely normalising the visual presence of blood.

Menstruation is a natural biological process, but that does not mean it needs to be made public or turned into a spectacle. Certain aspects of our mundane lives should remain private, without being stigmatised. Just as bowel movements are a natural bodily function that we do not discuss during a morning coffee break with colleagues and I really hope we don't need to normalise it through billboards. 

My hesitation is directed at this billboard, not at the broader strategies aimed at promoting openness around menstrual health. It is especially important to educate adolescents on reducing stigma related to menstruation, including conditions that may require time away from work or school. Equally vital is improving access to sanitary products for all. These are critical conversations that deserve thoughtful, informed, and respectful attention.

Turning menstruation into a central topic of conversation about how women should speak about their monthly experiences is, in my view, patronising. What's more, every woman having a bad day or expressing anger is often dismissed as menstrual -'għax qiegħda bih'. Reducing women's emotions to biological stereotypes undermines their experiences and shifts responsibility away from the real causes of their reactions. I fear this risk creating a Pity Polly (who is equally patronised and pissed) narrative, where women are expected to feel pitied, patronised or treated as special simply for menstruation. This is neither necessary nor empowering. True empowerment lies in addressing other substantive issues.

One such issue is the persistent tendency to normalise the sexualisation of female bodies. Women are routinely reduced to fragmented body parts in advertising, portrayed as objects, detached from the individuality, agency, and personality of the person they belong to. This is reinforced by everyday media discourse, including the casual and repeated sexualisation of women's bodies on national radio. Again, I mention the constant drooling on the national radio station over double d's; "U ejja ammetti, jogħġbuk id-dees" goes the advert. What's worse is a recent local podcast attempting to justify normalising the sexualisation of minors. These are the conversations that demand scrutiny and challenge, not superficial gestures framed as empowerment.

This is where empowerment is truly needed. Female bodies are too often framed either through shock, discomfort or reduced to sexualised images. We own our bodies in their entirety, not just for their biological function. What needs to be normalised is feeling comfortable and confident in our own skin. This is particularly urgent in light of the rising incidence of eating disorders.

Social media plays a powerful role in shaping how we perceive our bodies, constantly reinforcing narrow ideals through images of perfect bodies, weight loss journeys, and size transformations. As the new year begins, often accompanied by resolutions focused on changing our appearance, these messages can deepen feelings of discomfort and dissatisfaction with our own bodies rather than fostering acceptance and a tranquil mindset.

Turning menstruation into a public spectacle about how women should speak about their bodies misses the point entirely. Normalisation should empower women, not commodify their biology, invite pity, or repackage their experiences as shock value or sexual currency.