12 celebrities who got very real about their periods
While there's undoubtedly some existing stigma surrounding periods, there's a lot of us out there who have them. Women and people with reproductive organs live with an ever-changing menstrual cycle for decades of their lives, so there's no point pretending they don't exist.
Which is why we're all for talking about periods. And these celebrities have done us proud by doing so; opening up about the drag that is PMS, and all the ways they notice their bodies changing throughout the month. Read, and relate...
1. Chrissy Teigen
Never one to shy away from the realities of her body (be it candid breastfeeding pics, an invite into her smear test, or showing off her stretch marks) we can always rely on Chrissy for a relatable insight. And that includes her menstrual cycle. On Twitter last year, the cookbook author opened up about the extremes of her cycle, writing: "I am either pms'ing or on my period. nothing else. that is my cycle". Ugh, we feel you.
Chrissy has also posted about how her period affects her skin, with a 2017 video showing her hormonal breakout. And it's clear her honesty is refreshing for followers to see. "Thank you for making us feel less alone," wrote one person.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) July 31, 2017
2. Miley Cyrus
Lots of us have been caught short with our period before, and just because you're a celebrity doesn't mean it won't happen to you. In interview with Marie Claire a few years back, Miley Cyrus shared the time she got her first period... on set filming Hannah Montana set... while she was wearing white trousers. Yup. "It was so embarrassing," she said, reliving the incident. "I couldn't leave. And I was crying, begging my mom, 'You're going to have to put the tampon in. I have to be on set.'"
3. Lena Dunham
Having been diagnosed with endometriosis in her late twenties (following 13 years of pain around her periods), actress Lena Dunham has now had a total hysterectomy. The operation, which she told Cosmopolitan left her with "a tremendous amount of grief" because it took away her ability to become a biological mother, also means she no longer has periods - but it's long been a topic Lena is open about.
"As my teen years progressed, my periods became more and more painful until it started to really disrupt my daily life," the Girls creator said in a Cosmopolitan video. Prior to her hysterectomy, back in 2017, Lena posted a paparazzi photo on Instagram where she explained she'd been on her period for nearly two full weeks. "When paparazzi follows you but you're not even mad cuz you love your look and the chance to show off the leather skirt Jemima lent you and anyway, you've had your period for 13 days and the inauguration is in 10 so this is the least of your fucking problems," she wrote.
4. Jennifer Lawrence
Bloating is a common symptom of a period, and it's something Jennifer Lawrence knows all too well. Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar about her outfit for the 2016 Golden Globes, she openly shared that she'd had a change of plan last minute because of the arrival of her monthly bleed.
"Plan A was a dress that I couldn’t wear because awards season is synced with my menstrual cycle, and it has been for years," said J-Law. In the end, she went with the Plan B dress because "it was loose at the front. And I didn't have to worry about sucking anything in. The other dress was really tight, and I'm not going to suck in my uterus. I don't have to do that." Put your hand up if you can relate (er, maybe not to the Golden Globes bit) 🙋♀️.
5. Kourtney Kardashian
In celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day in 2019, Kourtney posted a photo of herself in a bikini on the beach with her friend and former assistant, Stephanie Shepherd. "'Is my tampon string showing?' @steph_shep whispered to me. The source of life shouldn’t be embarrassing or hard to talk about. Mothers, teach your sons too," Kourtney posted in the caption. Amen to that.
A post shared by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on May 28, 2019 at 9:07am PDT
6. Serena Williams
Periods and pregnancy are intertwined, and Serena Williams spoke openly about the mix-up she had between the two during her pregnancy with daughter Alexis Olympia. In an interview with InStyle, the tennis champ revealed she was super surprised when she found out she was expecting, because she had "literally had a cycle just before."
"I was surprised when I saw the result and even more surprised when the doctor said I was seven weeks along," she said. It seems what Serena actually experienced was not a proper period, but light breakthrough bleeding which is known to happen in early pregnancy for some women.
7. Amy Schumer
We all know female celebrities always get asked what they're wearing on the red carpet, and at the 2016 Emmy's, Amy Schumer was all up for sharing the details. When E!'s presenter Giuliana Rancic asked Amy the antiquated question, the I Feel Pretty actor responded with a fresh twist: "Vivienne Westwood, Tom Ford shoes and an OB Tampon," she said. Just brilliant.
8. Jameela Jamil
In an interview with Stylist, when she was asked what kinds of things we should be talking about, body positivity activist and actress Jameela Jamil was totally transparent about the way her menstrual cycle can affect her. "I've got spots today because my period is due next week," she told the magazine, adding: "I'm fine with the fact those might show up in the photoshoot."
9. Kate Winslet
It might seem like the life of a movie star is the most glamorous thing in the world, but Kate Winslet gave a little reminder in a 1998 Rolling Stone interview that periods can still inconvenience some of the biggest actors in the world. Describing what it was like to film Titanic, Kate said: "I’m not saying it was all happy-clappy. There were days when you’d just think, 'Oh, my God, I’ve got my period and I can’t get in that freezing-cold water today.' I remember standing up and saying to everyone, 'Listen, if it suddenly looks like Jaws, the movie, it’s my fault'." Incredible.
10. Jessie J
In support of charity Action Aid's campaign to put an end to period poverty, singer Jessie J shared personal details about her own cycle and the struggles she's had with PMS. Revealing that she had "very painful and heavy periods growing up," Jessie went on to say she would get pain and cramps so bad she would be sick, and was sometimes admitted to hospital.
"Know every woman's body is different and deals with pain, cramps, bleeding differently. So work out what is best for you," advised Jessie.
11. Gigi Hadid
In an Instagram video of Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, where the pair are prancing around a closet for Vogue, the model (who is currently pregnant) revealed that her boobs fluctuate along with her cycle. "My boobs are small right now," she told Kendall. "They get really big when it's, like, that time of the month."
boob talk @gigihadid @voguemagazine
A post shared by Kendall (@kendalljenner) on Mar 2, 2016 at 9:12am PST
12. Dakota Johnson
Fifty Shades of Grey actor Dakota has had a rough ride with periods, telling InStyle that her hormonal changes can get so extreme that it feels like her cycle is "ruining [her] life". "Every month. It's unbelievable. It's really f**king amazing. I can't get a grip on it. I'm like, what? Every time, I'm totally scandalised about what happens to my body and my brain. My boobs are like eight times the size they normally are. It's really a traumatic thing, and it happens every month," she said.
"I really would like to understand and be able to manage things a little better, know what's happening in my body, and know what I'm putting into it," Dakota added.
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