"Where's the Period Party At?"

Do you remember your first period? I do.

When it happened, I was less than thrilled. It was one more thing to worry about in my thirteen-year-old world of confusion, insecurity and anxiety. Since I wasn't really sure what else to do besides find a tampon, I decided to tell my mother. She gave me a big hug and seemed really, really happy that there was this explosion of gross red blood coming out of my you-know-where. I, however, wanted to cry and go back to the days when I didn't have to worry about being a fertile baby incubator ready to be harvested by the first sperm to make it's way through my fallopian tubes.

Turns out, this is a similar reaction that a lot of young women have. But no one likes to talk about it - because, you know, your period is icky! and "becoming a woman" is perceived to be a big pain in the ass that women are supposed to deny, hide, and stay quiet about as much as possible.

However, thanks to an amazing 19 year-old young woman, Rachel Nalebuff, periods may finally be considered cool with the publication of My Little Red Book.

My Little Red Book is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. Royalties from sales of the book are being donated to charities promoting women's health and education.

The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today's teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative.

Ultimately, My Little Red Book is more than a collection of stories. It is a call for a change in attitude, for a new way of seeing periods. In a time when the taboo around menstruation seems to be one of the few left standing, it makes a difficult subject easier to talk about, and helps girls feel proud instead of embarrassed or ashamed. By revealing what it feels like to undergo this experience first hand, and giving women the chance to explain their feelings in their own words, it aims to provide support, entertainment, and a starting point for discussion for mothers and daughters everywhere. It is a book every girl should have. Period.

So when was your first period? Did you celebrate or cry? What was the reaction of your parents, friends, boyfriends and brothers? How do you look at periods now?

I encourage all women to think about your first period, missed periods, and the end of your period. It may reveal more about who you are today than you even realize.